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ISAAC    M.    WISE 
AET.    80 

From  a  photograph  of  a  bas-relief  by  Boris  Schatz.      (Jerusalem.) 


Isaac  Mayer   Wise 

The  Founder  of  American  Judaism 
A   Biography 


By 

Max  B.  May,  A.  M. 

\\ 

Judge    of  the    Court    of    Common    Pleas 
Hamilton    County,  Ohio. 


Illustrated 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  and   London 

Zbc    IknicRetbocfter    press 

1916 


Copyright,  1916 

BY 

MAX  B.  MAY 


1^ 


Ube  ftnicberbocfier  t>^cse,  new  IQork 


The  Memory  of  my  Beloved  Wife 
JEAN  MAY 

THIS  BOOK   IS  affectionately  DEDICATED 


392361 


PREFACE 

In  1846,  when  Isaac  Mayer  Wise  arrived  in 
America,  he  found  the  Jews  in  this  country  with 
but  Httle  secular  culture,  many  of  them  drifting 
away  from  Judaism,  and  what  religious  institutions 
they  had,  entirely  unorganized.  Their  religious 
life  was  an  intolerable  imitation  of  that  which  ex- 
isted in  the  old  Ghettos  of  Europe — a  condition 
so  inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of  American  in- 
stitutions as  to  make  positively  impossible  its 
survival.  Dr.  Wise  realized  that  if  Judaism  in 
America  was  to  be  preserved,  it  would  be  neces- 
sary not  only  to  Americanize  the  Jew,  but  also 
his  Judaism.  This  was  his  life  work.  But  for 
this  work  the  Jews  in  America  would  either  have 
been  lost  to  Judaism  or  their  mode  of  life  and 
worship  an  empty  continuation  of  that  brought 
with  them  from  their  narrow  European  environ- 
ment. His  death  found  American  Judaism  mod- 
ernized and  adapted  to  its  new  environment,  and 
the  American  Jew  preserving  the  essentials  of  his 
religion,  living  in  every  community  as  an  influen- 


vi  Preface 

tial,  respected,  public  spirited,  and  philanthropic 
citizen. 

How  Dr.  Wise  founded  an  American  Judaism, 
and  a  brief  history  of  the  institutions  by  means  of 
which  he  accomplished  this  purpose,  necessarily 
form  an  important  part  of  this  volume. 

No  complete  history  of  Dr.  Wise  and  his  work 
has  yet  appeared.  In  1900  the  Alumnal  Associa- 
tion of  the  Hebrew  Union  College  published  Se- 
lected Writings  of  Isaac  M.  Wise,  with  a  Biography 
by  the  editors,  David  Philipson  and  Louis  Grossmann. 
The  biographical  sketch  consists  of  112  pages. 
In  1 900-1 901,  "The  Reminiscences  of  Isaac  M. 
Wise,"  published  in  his  German  Weekly,  Die 
Deborah,  July  3,  1874,  ^o  August  11,  1875,  were 
translated  by  Rev.  David  Philipson,  and  pub- 
lished by  Leo  Wise  &  Co.  Part  of  Dr.  Philip- 
son's  biographical  sketch  treating  of  Dr.  Wise's 
European  life  was  based  on  conversations  he  had 
with  Dr.  Wise,  and  in  the  preparation  of  this 
biography  I  have  relied  upon  this  sketch,  verifying 
it  as  far  as  possible.  I  have  likewise  quoted  freely 
from  Dr.  Philipson's  translation  of  The  Remi- 
niscences. 

Rabbi  Wise  should  have  had  his  Boswell. 
Unfortunately,  those  closest  to  him  never  realized 
the  importance  of  recording  his  many  thoughtful 


Preface  vii 

sayings.  At  his  death,  to  the  great  disappointment 
of  the  historian  and  the  biographer,  no  diary  and 
other  memoranda  were  found,  and  few  of  his 
letters  had  been  preserved. 

As  his  grandson,  who  was  very  close  to  him,  I 
felt  it  but  proper  and  fitting  at  this  time  that  a 
biography  should  be  written  from  original  sources, 
which  would  conclusively  prove  that  Isaac  Mayer 
Wise  was  not  only  the  most  prominent  figure  in 
American  Judaism  during  the  last  half  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  but  also  that  he  was  the 
founder  of  American  Judaism  and  all  the  many 
institutions  which  preserved  that  Judaism  in  this 
country. 

My  aim  has  been  to  let  Dr.  Wise  tell  in  his  own 
words  the  story  of  his  life  and  activities,  and, 
therefore,  I  have  printed  many  extracts  from  his 
writings  in  The  Occident,  The  Asmonean,  The 
Israelite,  and  Die  Deborah. 

I  have  not  attempted  to  give  an  estimate  of 
Rabbi  Wise  as  an  author  and  theologian,  because 
I  am  not  competent  to  do  so.  In  1919,  the  several 
organizations  which  Rabbi  Wise  founded  will 
celebrate  the  centennial  of  his  birth,  and  undoubt- 
edly those  qualified  to  speak  will  treat  that  phase 
of  his  career. 

I  wish  to  acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to  Mr. 


VIU 


Preface 


Adolph  S.  Oko,  Librarian  of  the  Hebrew  Union 
College,  and  Dr.  N.  D.  C.  Hodges,  Librarian  of 
the  Public  Library  of  Cincinnati,  for  their  val- 
uable assistance. 


Max  B.  May. 


Cincinnati, 
July  21,  1916. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PACK 

I. — The  European  Background    .         .  i 

II. — Early  Years            ....  22 

III. — The  Last  Years  in  Europe    .         .  32 

IV. — The  Promised  Land         ...  45 

V. — The   First   Albany   Period — Rabbi 

of  Beth  El  Congregation  .       59 

VI. — The    First    Call    for    a     Union 

AMONG  Israelites         ...       74 

VII. — The     Charleston      Episode — T  h  e 

Break  with  Beth   El        .         .86 

VIII. — The  Second  Albany  Period — Organ- 
ization OF  Congregation  Anshe 
Emeth,  Men  of  Truth        .         .108 

IX. — Last  Years  in  Albany — First  Ed- 
itorial Work — A  History  of  the 
Israelitish  Nation      .         .         .126 

ix 


X  Contents 

CHAPTER  PAGB 

X. — The  Rabbi  of  Congregation   Bene 

Yeshurun    .....  153 

XI. — The   Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     .  194 

XII. — The   Union   of   American   Hebrew 

Congregations  .         .         .  257 

XIII. — The  Hebrew  Union  College  .  294 

XIV. — The  Central  Conference  of  Ameri- 
can Rabbis  ....  322 

XV. — Personal  Activities  and  Character- 
istics    355 

XVI.— The  End 391 

List  of  Writings  ...  399 

Index      .         .         .         .       \         .  409 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Isaac  M.  Wise.     Aet.  8o     .         .     Frontispiece 
From  a  photograph  of  a  bas-relief  by  Boris  Schatz. 
(Jerusalem) 

Isaac  M.  Wise.  Aet.  35  .  .  .  .154 
Isaac  M.  Wise.  Aet.  60  .  .  .  .  258 
Isaac  M.  Wise.    Aet.  70     .         .         .         .     322 


Xl 


Isaac   Mayer  Wise 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  EUROPEAN   BACKGROUND 

To  understand  the  life  and  career  of  Isaac  Mayer 
Wise  it  is  necessary  to  know  something  of  the  con- 
ditions of  the  Jews  of  Europe  and  especially  of 
Bohemia  during  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century. 

Prior  to  the  decree  of  the  French  National 
Assembly,  September  27,  1791,  the  Jews  of  Europe 
did  not  enjoy  the  privileges  of  citizenship.  Not 
only  were  they  treated  as  aliens,  but  the  ancient 
prejudice  against  them  still  existed.  Moses  Men- 
delssohn, the  friend  of  Lessing  and  the  prototype 
of  Nathan  der  Weise,  summed  up  the  Jewish  ques- 
tion very  accurately  when  he  said ' : 

"It  is  wonderful  to  note  how  the  prejudice 
assumes  the  forms  of  every  century  in  order  to 

'  Graetz,  History  of  the  Jews,  vol.  v.,  p.  361-2. 

I 


2  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

act  despotically  towards  us  (Jews)  and  place 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  our  obtaining  civil  rights. 
In  superstitious  ages  we  were  said  to  insult  sacred 
objects  out  of  mere  wantonness,  to  pierce  crucifixes 
and  cause  them  to  bleed;  secretly  to  circumcise 
children  and  to  stab  them  in  order  to  feast  our 
eyes  upon  the  sight;  to  draw  Christian  blood  for 
our  Passover;  to  poison  wells. 

"Now  times  have  changed,  calumny  no  longer 
makes  the  desired  impression.  Now  we  in  turn 
are  upbraided  with  superstition  and  ignorance, 
lack  of  moral  sentiment,  taste  and  refined  manners, 
incapacity  for  the  arts,  sciences,  and  useful  pur- 
suits, especially  for  the  service  of  war  and  the 
state,  invincible  inclination  to  cheating,  usury, 
and  lawlessness,  all  these  have  taken  the  place  of 
coarse  indictments  against  us  to  exclude  us  from 
the  number  of  useful  citizens  and  reject  us  from 
the  motherly  bosom  of  the  state.  They  tie  our 
hands  and  reproach  us  that  we  do  not  use  them. 
.  .  .  Reason  and  the  spirit  of  research  of  our 
century  have  not  yet  wiped  away  all  traces  of 
barbarism  in  history.  Many  a  legend  of  the  past 
has  obtained  credit  because  it  has  not  occurred  to 
any  one  to  cast  doubt  upon  it.  Some  are  sup- 
ported by  such  important  authorities  that  few 
have  the  boldness  to  look  upon  them  as  mere 


The  European  Background  3 

legends  and  libels.  Even  at  the  present  moment 
there  is  many  a  city  of  Germany  where  no  cir- 
cumcised person,  even  though  he  pays  duty  for 
his  creed,  is  allowed  to  issue  forth  in  open  daylight 
unwatched,  lest  he  kidnap  a  Christian  child  or 
poison  the  wells;  while  during  the  night  he  is  not 
trusted  under  the  strictest  surveillance  owing  to 
his  well-known  intercourse  with  evil  spirits." 

Before  the  beneficial  effect  of  the  French  Revo- 
lution and  the  Napoleonic  era  was  felt  in  Germany 
and  Austria,  the  condition  of  the  Jews  was  pitiable. 

Although  Jews  had  lived  in  Bohemia  since  the 
tenth  century,  it  was  not  until  the  reign  of 
Emperor  Joseph  II.  (i 780-1 790)  that  their  con- 
dition was  to  any  extent  ameliorated. 

Naturally  the  prejudice  against  the  Jews  was 
increased  by  the  crusades  which  swept  over 
Europe,  and  as  they  were  in  the  path  of  the  fanati- 
cal hordes  pressing  on  their  way  to  Jerusalem  they 
were  treated  without  mercy.  In  order  to  prevent 
the  increase  in  population  among  the  Jews  the 
privilege  of  marriage  was  restricted.  The  number 
of  Jewish  souls  in  the  community  was  fixed  by 
law,  and  with  few  exceptions  no  marriages  were 
permitted  until  vacancies  occurred  by  death. 
Four  years  after  Maria  Theresa  (i  740-1 780) 
became  Empress  of  Austria  she  issued  her  decree 


4  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

banishing  all  Jews  from  Bohemia  by  June  30, 
1745.  Later,  upon  the  payment  of  a  large  annual 
tax,  the  enforcement  of  the  decree  was  postponed 
for  ten  years,  and  was  subsequently  revoked  upon 
condition  that  the  number  of  Jewish  families 
should  not  be  increased. 

Maria  Theresa  was  succeeded  in  1780  by  a  great 
ruler,  Joseph  II.,  and  by  his  so-called  toleration 
decree  the  Jews  of  Austria  and  Bohemia  were 
granted  greater  immunities  and  more  privileges. 
His  purpose  was  not  to  scatter  the  Jews  over  the 
land  nor  to  permit  them  to  settle  in  places  from 
which  they  were  excluded,  but  rather  to  make  them 
more  useful  to  the  state  in  those  places  where  they 
dwelt  in  large  numbers.  Under  the  provisions  of 
this  decree  the  Jews  obtained  some  civil  recogni- 
tion in  the  community  and  enjoyed  commercial 
and  trade  privileges.  Henceforth  farming  and 
industrial  employment  of  larger  scope  were  open 
to  them. 

Joseph  II.  increased  the  number  of  Jewish 
families  permitted  in  Bohemia  from  8541  to  8600, 
and  in  some  communities  they  were  allowed  to  live 
outside  of  the  Ghetto,  the  restricted  Jewish  dis- 
trict. Joseph  II.  also  abolished  all  laws  pre- 
scribing differences  in  dress.  It  was  also  decreed 
by  this  liberal  monarch  that  the  Jews  should  draw 


The  European  Background  5 

their  contracts,  agreements,  wills,  in  short  all 
legal  documents  in  the  language  of  the  country 
under  penalty  of  having  them  declared  illegal. 
The  Hebrew  or  Jargon  was  to  be  used  in  Divine 
Services  only.  Formerly  the  Jews  had  been  for- 
bidden to  till  the  soil,  now  they  were  permitted  to 
become  lessees  of  lands  and  pursue  agriculture, 
but  they  had  to  till  the  soil  themselves,  for  during 
the  ensuing  ten  years  they  were  not  permitted  to 
employ  any  Christians  to  assist  them.  They  were 
also  granted  the  privilege  of  leaving  their  native 
city  to  study,  and  in  Bohemia  they  could  receive 
instruction  in  all  sciences.  Later  it  was  provided 
by  law  that  no  one  could  become  a  rabbi  who  had 
not  also  taken  courses  in  the  philosophical  sciences 
and  the  laws  of  nature  at  a  National  University; 
and  in  communities  where  there  were  no  Jewish 
schools,  Jewish  children  had  to  be  sent  to  Christian 
schools.  All  teachers  before  receiving  their  ap- 
pointment must  have  attended  the  normal  school 
at  Prague. 

Under  Frances  II.  (i 792-1835)  the  effect  of  the 
Napoleonic  wars  was  felt,  but  after  Waterloo  the 
reactionary  party  under  Metternich  had  full 
sway,  and  the  Jews  again  began  to  feel  the  hard- 
ships of  restrictions.  There  were  cities  where  no 
Jews  were  allowed  to  settle,  in  other  places  they 


6  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

were  compelled  to  pay  special  taxes,  and  they  were 
always  treated  as  inferior  people  and  v/ith  great 
arbitrariness.  The  chief  cause  of  this  was  the  fear 
that  the  Jews  would  control  all  the  trade.  In 
those  communities  where  the  influence  of  the  lib- 
eral spirit  of  Joseph  II.  lingered  their  treatment 
was  better. 

The  greatest  disability  under  which  the  Jews 
suffered  was  the  restriction  as  to  marriage.  As 
the  rulers  did  not  wish  to  have  them  increase  in 
number,  marriage  among  them  was  restricted. 
The  number  of  Jewish  families  allowed  in  a  dis- 
trict was  fixed  by  law,  and  no  one  was  permitted 
to  marry  without  a  special  license,  which  was 
difficult  to  obtain,  except  by  the  eldest  son  of  the 
family,  unless  there  was  a  vacancy  created  by 
death.  Even  where  marriages  were  permitted  the 
bridegroom  had  to  be  twenty-two  years  of  age  and 
the  bride  eighteen  years.  The  right  to  marry  was 
called  a  "Familiantenrecht."  Rabbis,  cantors, 
and  teachers  belonged  to  the  exempt  class  and  had 
the  privilege  of  marrying.  The  result  was  that 
there  were  many  marriages  among  the  Jews  which 
were  considered  by  the  state  as  illegal  and  the 
offspring  illegitimate. 

Such  was  the  pitiable  lot  of  the  Bohemian  Jew 
in  the  early  years  of  the    nineteenth    century. 


The  European  Background  7 

The  hope  of  emancipation  held  out  under  the 
liberal  acts  of  the  great  Emperor  Joseph  II.  was 
quickly  crushed  by  his  illiberal  successors,  who, 
after  the  Congress  of  Vienna,  were  unwilling  to 
ameliorate  the  condition  of  their  oppressed  Jewish 
subjects.  The  revolutions  of  1830  had  little 
effect  in  Austria,  and  the  condition  of  the  Bo- 
hemian Jews  did  not  improve  materially  until 
after  1848. 

In  the  larger  cities  the  Jews  lived  in  the  Ghetto, 
and  in  the  smaller  villages  they  usually  lived  in 
one  neighbourhood.  Their  life  was  separate  and 
apart  from  that  of  their  Christian  neighbours. 
Outside  of  the  larger  cities  of  Germany  and  Aus- 
tria, the  education  of  the  Jewish  youth  was  con- 
fined to  the  study  of  the  Talmud.  In  the  early 
decades  of  the  nineteenth  century  the  young 
Jews,  with  few  exceptions,  had  no  acquaintance 
with  the  secular  literature  and  sciences. 

In  an  article  entitled,  "Recollections  of  Bo- 
hemia," written  by  Wise,  and  printed  in  the 
Asmonean  of  New  York,^  the  following  vivid 
and  accurate  picture  of  life  among  the  Bohemian 
Jews  is  given : 

"It  is  admitted  by  all  travellers  who  bestow 
sufficient  attention  on  Jews,  that  those  of  Bohemia 

'  The  Asmonean,  vol.  ix.,  March  17-24,  1854,  Nos.  22  and  23. 


8  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

are,  as  a  class,  the  best  educated  and  the  wealthiest 
in  the  Austrian  empire.  Jewish  physicians,  liter- 
ati, rabbins,  teachers,  and  bookkeepers  are  so 
numerous  in  that  country,  although  the  Jewish 
population  amounts  from  80,000  to  100,000  souls 
only,  that  they  emigrate  in  all  directions.  Among 
those  who  preach  Judaism  in  this  country  are 
four  Bohemians,  and  no  less  than  ten  Jewish 
physicians  of  that  country  are  now  in  the  United 
States,  although  emigration  to  America  is  in 
Bohemia  a  rare  circumstance.  The  poet  Hart- 
mann,  Kuranda,  the  distinguished  editor  of  the 
BruesseVs  Grenzhoten,  both  ex-members  of  the 
Frankfort  parliament,  Rev.  Dr.  Zachary  Frankel, 
now  of  Dresden,  the  late  and  lamented  Rev.  Mr. 
Cohn,  preacher  in  Lemberg,  Rev.  Dr.  Meisel,  of 
Stettin,  Rev.  Dr.  Hamburger,  of  Prossnitz,  Rev. 
Mr.  Popper,  present  chief  rabbi  of  Tyrol,  and 
many  more  prominent  clergymen;  Prof,  Klein, 
the  distinguished  mathematician,  Moscheles,  the 
celebrated  pianist,  M.  Steinschneider,  the  oriental- 
ist, and  a  host  of  many  other  celebrities  are  Bo- 
hemians. There  are  more  than  fifty  Bohemian 
Jewish  physicians  in  the  Austrian  army.  .  .  . 
The  names  of  Landau,  father,  son,  and  grandson, 
Peter  Beer,  Herz  Romberg,  Dr.  Wolfgang  Wessely, 
Jeiteles,  Wehle,  Schlesinger,  Wolf  Mayer,  Letteris, 


The  European  Background  9 

Stern,  are  familiar  to  every  friend  of  Hebrew  lit- 
erature ;  it  needs  only  to  be  said  that  all  of  them 
are  Bohemians. 

"It  must  be  admitted  that  it  is  unusual,  we  might 
say  marvellous,  that  so  many  prominent  men 
should  spring  up  among  so  small  a  popiilation,  and 
under  the  adverse  position  in  which  Austria 
placed  the  Bohemian  Jews  up  to  1848;  but  we  are 
in  possession  of  the  key  to  solve  the  riddle .... 

"l.  The  commercial  and  manufacturing  inter- 
ests of  the  land  are  almost  exclusively  in  the  hands 
of  Jews,  consequently  they  always  were  in  pos- 
session of  the  means  to  give  to  their  children  a 
scholastic  education,  and  to  support  the  children 
of  the  poor  to  this  laudable  end,  which  is  done  no- 
where in  the  world  so  extensively  as  in  the  city  of 
Prague. 

"2.  Bohemia  was  the  seat  of  the  old  Yeshi- 
both  Talmudical  colleges  since  time  immemorial; 
Prague,  Kollin,  Jenikau,  Kaledai,  Ronsperg,  Bunz- 
lau,  and  other  places  are  noted  for  such  colleges. 
Besides  this  the  Jews  of  Prague  have  a  normal 
school  of  eight  classes,  where  tuition  is  gratis,  and 
a  Beth  Hammidrash;  and  all  Austrian  schools, 
from  the  village  school  to  the  university,  give  tui- 
tion gratis  to  the  poor  and  to  those  students  who 
pass  a  good  examination. 


10  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

"The  Bohemian  Jews  may  be  divided  according 
to  domicile  into  inhabitants  of  cities  and  villages. 
In  some  villages  ten  to  thirty  families  reside,  but 
in  others  there  are  but  one  or  two  families.  The 
manufacture  of  glass,  porcelain,  and  cotton  goods, 
the  distilleries  of  liquors,  the  grocery,  dry  goods, 
and  produce  business  are  much  followed  by  them. 
Some  pursue  agricultural  pursuits,  others  are  physi- 
cians, teachers,  mechanics,  etc.,  etc.;  they  repre- 
sent all  classes  of  society,  and  are  superior  to  their 
rural  neighbours  in  scholastic  attainments  and 
mercantile  enterprise. 

"In  the  centre  of  the  village  where  Jews  live 
usually  stands  the  Synagogue,  often  a  beautiful 
stone  building  with  a  brick  roof  and  a  Mogen 
David  (Shield  of  David)  on  the  top.  Inside  most 
of  the  Synagogues  are  plain,  arched,  and  have  high 
bow-windows.  Next  to  the  Synagogue  is  the 
dwelling  of  the  minister  and  the  schoolrooms,  and 
around  the  Synagogue  are  generally  the  best 
houses  of  the  Jewish  families.  Usually  the  Jews 
of  some  villages  have  one  Synagogue  in  a  central 
village  whither  they  go  to  worship  and  also  send 
their  children  to  school.  Twice  a  day,  morning 
and  evening,  the  Synagf^^^ue  is  open  for  Divine 
Service,  and  it  is  a  rare  case  that  no  Minyan  (ten 
male  persons  above  thirteen  years  of  age)  is  in 


The  European  Background         ii 

attendance.  Friday  evening  and  Sabbath  morn- 
ing every  person  attends  divine  worship,  if  one 
is  missed  in  the  Synagogue  he  is  considered  sick, 
and  is  sure  of  being  visited  by  his  friends. 

' '  The  minister  of  the  smaller  congregations  is  a 
hazan  (cantor),  shochet  (one  who  slaughters  the 
cattle  and  fowl  according  to  religious  rules),  and 
sometimes  the  teacher ....  In  the  larger  con- 
gregations he  must  be  a  Moreh  Zedek — a  man 
authorized  to  perform  rabbinical  functions,  and 
in  the  largest  congregations  in  the  country  they 
have  a  rabbi,  a  cantor,  a  teacher,  a  sexton,  and  a 
shochet.  We  have  seen  in  a  place  where  two 
Jewish  families  resided,  and  around  which  village 
some  thirty  Jewish  families  lived,  a  temple  built 
in  modern  style  with  an  organ  and  choir  put  into 
it,  and  a  rabbi  and  cantor  were  engaged  to  con- 
duct divine  worship,  preach,  and  instruct  the 
young. 

"The  children  may  attend  the  village  schools, 
and  do  so  in  many  places  .  .  .  but  in  general 
the  Jews  have  separate  schools.  Instruction 
begins  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  is 
continued  until  noon,  generally  in  Hebrew 
branches,  and  is  resumed  at  one  o'clock  in  winter 
and  is  continued  until  dark.  In  the  evening, 
instruction  in  the  higher  Hebrew  classes  is  given 


12  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

until  eight  or  nine  o'clock.  A  child  is  taught  three 
different  languages:  the  Slavonic,  which  is  spoken 
in  the  greater  part  of  the  country;  the  German, 
which  is  spoken  by  all  Jews  and  taught  in  all 
Hebrew  schools;  and  Hebrew,  the  language  of  the 
Bible,  which  is  understood  by  a  majority  of  the 
Bohemian  Jews.  Reading  and  writing  in  these 
languages,  grammar,  Rashi,  a  biblical  commen- 
tary, arithmetic,  and  some  geography  make  up  the 
course  of  elementary  education. 

"Besides  these  congregational  schools,  rich  fam- 
ilies, and  those  who  live  at  too  great  a  distance 
from  the  large  places,  have  private  teachers. 
Large  sums  of  money  are  spent  on  these  private 
teachers  and  they  are  treated  with  especial  dis- 
tinction. It  is  often  the  case  that  a  man  spends 
his  whole  property  on  the  education  of  his  sons, 
who  support  him  and  their  sisters  after  they  have 
entered  upon  public  functions. 

"In  former  times  Talmud  was  one  of  the  princi- 
pal studies  at  every  school,  three  to  four  hours  daily 
being  given  to  its  study.  When  a  child  was  six 
to  eight  years  old  and  could  read  Hebrew  it  was 
sent  to  a  Talmud  class.  When  a  boy  had  learned 
something  so  that  he  was  deemed  capable  of  a 
higher  education  he  was  sent  to  places  where  a 
Talmud    teacher    of    some    distinction    resided. 


The  European  Background  13 

Wealthy  parents  paid  for  the  children's  board  and 
tuition ;  but  the  poor  did  not  suffer,  he  had  tuition 
gratis,  most  always  also  lodging,  and  good  people 
gave  what  they  called  "Board  Day,"  viz.,  one 
day's  board  weekly  gratis;  seven  such  good  men 
generally  supported  a  poor  student.  We  knew 
one  man  who  had  twenty-five  such  young  fel- 
lows in  board,  one  day  three  and  the  other  day 
four,  who  were  treated  as  kindly  as  the  man's 
children. 

"Having  made  considerable  progress  in  the 
Talmud  the  young  student  went  to  a  Yeshibah 
where  the  higher  Talmud  studies  were  pursued 
under  a  distinguished  master,  and  the  young  men 
were  educated  to  be  rabbins  and  teachers.  The 
poor  were  supported  in  those  places  in  the  same 
manner ;  some  got  Sabbath  board  free  and  others 
earned  a  living  by  instruction  of  either  younger 
students  who  could  pay,  or  other  children.  After 
some  time  thus  spent  the  young  man  returned  to 
the  business  of  his  father,  or  he  finished  his  educa- 
tion for  the  rabbinical  office. 

' '  The  Yeshiboth  life  was  a  peculiar  thing.  Sixty 
or  one  hundred  lads  between  the  ages  of  fourteen 
to  twenty,  or  so,  came  together  to  the  room  of  the 
much  venerated  master  twice  a  day  and  learned 
of  him  the  method  of  rabbinical  disputation  in  a 


14  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

practical  way.  The  passage  on  which  the  master 
treated  had  been  studied  previously,  so  that  in- 
struction consisted  merely  of  rectifying  the  student 
and  chiefly  of  training  the  mind  in  those  sagacious 
disputations,  which  were  strong  nutriment  to  the 
reasoning  faculties.  Outside  of  the  schoolroom 
there  was  perfect  liberty.  There  was  not  in  a 
Bohemian  Yeshibah  that  bigotry,  as  in  Hungary 
and  elsewhere,  that  the  students  were  prohibited 
from  reading  belletristical  works,  or  that  it  was 
considered  a  crime  to  know  Ibn  Ezra's  Commen- 
tary to  the  Bible,  or  Maimonides'  Moreh  Ne- 
buchim.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  considered  an 
accomplishment  to  have  read  Schiller's,  Goethe's, 
Lessing's,  or  Wieland's  works,  and  the  young  man 
spent  a  considerable  time  in  philosophic  theolo- 
gical books,  such  as  Kusari,  Moreh,  Chobath,  etc. 
We  remember  distinctly  that  we  had  formed  a 
secret  club  for  the  study  of  Cabalah,  and  we  met 
for  this  purpose  three  times  a  week  from  nine  to 
twelve  P.  M.,  but  when  our  old  master  found  out 
the  secret  of  our  club,  he  earnestly  exhorted  us  not 
to  spend  oiir  time  with  such  an  impracticable 
study,  calculated  to  make  young  men  bigots  and 
phantasts.  He  said  it  would  be  better  for  us  to 
read  Moses  Mendelssohn's,  Arbarbanel's,  or  De 
Rossi's  works. 


The  European  Background  15 

"The  Yeshiboth  and  the  Talmud  study  in  gen- 
eral have  given  way  in  the  past  fifteen  years  to  a 
modern  education.  When  we  left  Bohemia  (1846), 
there  was  almost  no  trace  any  more  of  Talmud 
instruction  in  the  villages  and  smaller  towns. 
Those  unhappy  old  men  who  knew  nothing  besides 
the  rabbinical  literature  held  very  poor  places  in 
small  congregations,  and  not  a  few  subsisted  on 
public  charity.  The  rabbi  must  have  gone 
through  a  course  of  studies  in  a  university,  and 
the  hazan  must  be  either  a  musician  or  an  ex- 
amined teacher,  and  at  length  it  became  difficult 
for  a  teacher  to  find  a  place  who  could  not  show 
certificates  either  from  the  State  Normal  School 
or  the  Hebrew  Normal  School  at  Prague.  The 
schools  were  improved  by  this  change.  Able 
boys  now  study  Latin,  geography,  history,  etc., 
instead  of  Talmud  only.  After  they  are  prepared 
they  go  to  an  academy,  to  the  polytechnical  in- 
stitute or  to  a  commercial  institute  (Real  Schule). 
Others  who  intend  to  devote  themselves  to  a 
learned  profession  go  to  a  gymnasium  where  they 
are  prepared  for  the  university,  and  then  to  the 
university.  Talmud  and  other  Hebrew  branches 
are  studied  by  those  only  who  intend  to  become 
rabbins,  and  they  must  do  so  in  private  schools 
and   after   the   college   hours.     An   attempt   was 


i6  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

made  some  years  ago  to  establish  a  rabbinical 
college,  but  it  proved  a  failure. 

"Poor  students  are  supported  in  the  way  we 
have  mentioned  before;  it  is  therefore  not  surpris- 
ing if  we  say  that  two-thirds  of  the  young  Jews  in 
Bohemia  who  visit  the  institutes  of  learning  are 
the  sons  of  poor  parents,  and  it  is  a  fact  deserving 
notice.  We  know  one  man  who  almost  subsisted 
on  charity,  living  now  with  his  sons,  two  of  whom 
are  distinguished  rabbins,  one  is  a  celebrated 
physician,  and  the  fourth  a  promising  young 
lawyer;  and  another,  who  worked  a  day  for  as 
much  money  as  twelve  cents,  has  three  sons  all  of 
whom  are  physicians,  and  the  oldest  one  is  a 
medical  officer  in  the  Austrian  army.  Hundreds 
of  such  facts  might  be  mentioned. 

"One  of  the  greatest  deficiencies  among  Bo- 
hemian country  Jews  is,  that  the  girls  do  not 
receive  more  than  a  common  school  education; 
it  is  a  rare  exception  that  one  is  sent  to  a  city  for 
the  ptirpose  of  receiving  a  better  education.  But 
this  is  a  common  fault  of  Europe,  and  is  not  quite 
rectified  in  this  country. 

' '  The  country  Jews  in  Bohemia  are  very  religi- 
ous, sometimes  superstitious,  have  good  morals, 
and  are  industrious  and  enterprising.  The  family 
life  among  the  country  people  is  of  a  patriarchal 


The  European  Background         17 

nature.  The  husband  and  father  is  the  independ- 
ent sheik  of  the  house,  the  wife  and  mother  is 
second  in  rank.  This  dominion  is  often  regulated 
by  laws  of  love  and  respect,  but  sometimes  de- 
generates into  a  kind  of  petty  tyranny.  Uncon- 
ditional obedience  is  required  of  the  children, 
without  distinction  of  sex  or  age;  no  vocation  in 
life  can  be  selected,  no  marriage  can  be  contracted 
without  the  permission  of  the  parents.  Married 
children  are  considered  independent  of  their 
parents;  still,  it  is  a  matter  of  good  deportment 
to  pay  distinguished  respect  to  parents.  There  is 
that  mutual  attachment  in  families  which  dis- 
tinguishes patriarchal  family  life,  and  domestic 
quarrels  are  rare,  and  almost  never  grow  up  to 
violent  disaffections. 

"The  days  of  labour  are  devoted  to  business, 
and  none  are  idle.  The  father,  and  the  sons  who 
have  left  school  attend  to  some  useful  employment, 
many  working  hard.  The  mother  and  her  daugh- 
ter care  for  the  domestic  comfort.  The  Sabbath 
and  holydays  are  highly  valued.  On  Friday  the 
whole  house  is  cleaned  and  set  in  order,  and  cook- 
ing required  for  the  Sabbath  is  done.  On  Sab- 
bath evening  everyone  in  the  house  changes  his 
clothing,  and  the  male  portion  of  the  family 
repair  to  the  Synagogue.     Meanwhile  the  lamp 


1 8  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

with  six  to  twelve  lights  is  kindled,  a  white  cloth 
is  spread  over  the  table,  and  two  loaves  of  bread 
and  a  cup  of  wine  are  set  on  it.  The  mother  reads 
the  prayers,  and  everything  around  is  clean,  and 
assumes,  as  it  were,  a  festive  look.  When  the 
father  and  his  sons  have  returned  from  the  Syna- 
gogue every  child  salutes  his  parents  with  the 
solemn  "Good  Sabbath,"  after  which  the  blessing 
is  received:  "May  God  let  thee  be  as  Menasseh 
and  Ephraim,"  or,  "  May  God  let  thee  be  as  Sarah, 
Rebecca,  Rachel,  and  Leah,"  concluding  with  the 
blessing  prescribed  to  the  priests:  "May  God 
bless  thee  and  guard  thee, "  etc.  Then  the  whole 
family  sing  the  hymn,  Shalom  Alechem  (Peace  be 
with  thee) ,  everyone  washes  his  hands,  and  takes  a 
seat  at  the  table;  the  father  arises  and  recites  the 
benediction  over  the  wine  and  bread,  after  which 
the  cup  is  given  to  the  mother  and  then  to  every 
child  according  to  age;  the  father  then  breaks  the 
Sabbath  bread  and  gives  a  piece  to  everyone  in 
the  above  order.  This  is  followed  by  the  Sabbath 
supper,  which  is  generally  of  an  excellent  kind. 
Meat  is  never  missed,  and,  if  possible,  fish  must 
grace  the  table.  After  the  meal  several  hymns  are 
sung,  after  which  the  father  loudly  speaks  the 
grace.  So,  every  Friday  evening  is  a  family  feast 
to  the  poor,  as  well  as  to  the  rich,  the  exceptions 


The  European  Background         19 

are  very  rare.  If  there  is  a  domestic  quarrel  in  a 
house,  the  Sabbath  eve  brings  peace.  This  is 
regarded  so  highly  that  the  poor  are  sent  flour, 
oil,  money,  and  meat  on  Thursday  to  have  it  for 
the  Sabbath.    .    .    . 

"  There  is  a  great  difference  between  inhabitants 
of  cities  and  villages.  This  is  due  to  civilization 
and  scholastic  attainments  having  progressed 
so  rapidly  in  the  cities,  from  which  the  country 
people  were  excluded  by  the  influence  of  the 
government.  Rich  merchants  and  learned  men 
generally  leave  their  native  villages  and  take  up 
their  residence  in  some  city,  so  that  the  most  intel- 
ligent and  enlightened  portion  of  the  community 
are  in  the  cities.  There  everything  is  revolution- 
ized; there  are  but  a  few  traces  left  of  the  old 
Bohemian  Jews;  everyone  is  modernized,  or  at 
least  assumes  the  appearance  of  being  so.  Lan- 
guage, customs,  habits,  schools,  synagogues,  and 
views  underwent  a  mighty  change.  In  Prague, 
Toeplitz,  Brandeis,  Leipsic,  and  other  places, 
synagogues  with  choirs,  organs,  and  good  preachers 
occupy  the  places  of  the  old  "Shuhl,"  and  good 
schools,  under  examined  and  experienced  teachers 
have  almost  extinguished  the  old  "Heder. " 
Talmudical  celebrities  have  become  very  rare, 
and  are  only  sought  for  if  they  are  in  possession  of 


20  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

a  good  university  education.  The  sacredness  of 
the  ceremonial  law  is  almost  lost,  and  many  a 
merchant  violates  the  Sabbath. 

"The  most  distinguished  Talmudists  of  Bohemia 
are  in  our  days  Rabbi  Samuel  Freund,  of  Prague, 
Rabbi  Aaron  Kornfeld,  of  Jenikau,  Rabbi  Daniel 
Frank,  of  Kollin,  and  Rabbi  Moses  L.  Bloch,  of 
Ronsperg,  all  of  whom,  with  the  exception  of  the 
latter,  are  old  men.  The  young  rabbins  of  larger 
cities  consider  the  Talmud  a  secondary  affair  and 
spend  their  time  in  the  acquirement  of  modern 
sciences,  although  there  are  but  a  few  of  them  who 
have  not  a  considerable  knowledge  of  our  national 
literature.  It  is  remarkable  that  the  far-renowned 
Rabbi  Rappaport  is  considered  more  as  a  philolo- 
gist, antiquarian,  and  historian  than  a  learned 
Talmudist.  When  he  first  came  to  Prague  (he  is 
a  Polander)  his  reputation  was  very  low  in  this 
respect,  and  we  remember  distinctly  that  he  was 
looked  upon  as  a  third-rate  man  in  Talmudical 
learning.  The  highly  learned  Rappaport  is  not 
chief  rabbi  of  Bohemia,  his  authority  extends  no 
farther  than  the  city  of  Prague,  although  his  and 
his  colleagues'  reputation  give  them,  by  tacit 
consent,  a  certain  and  acknowledged  authority. 
There  is  no  hierarchy  among  the  Bohemian  Jews, 
and  there  never  was  one,  although  men  greatly 


The  European  Background         21 

renowned  for  learning  always  enjoyed  the  special 
respect  of  the  multitude,  which  gave  them  an 
influence  and  authority.  .  .  .  Congregations 
are  not  as  large  in  Bohemia  as  in  Germany,  and 
much  less  numerous  than  in  Polish  and  Hungarian 
cities." 


CHAPTER  II 

EARLY  YEARS 

Very  little  is  known  of  the  ancestry  of  Isaac 
Mayer  Wise.  He  could  not  be  induced  to  talk 
about  his  early  years,  and  often  said  they  were  too 
terrible  to  contemplate.  No  authentic  data  are 
to  be  found  in  Wise's  writings;  and,  unlike  many 
another  great  man  who  rose  from  humble  begin- 
nings to  a  position  of  influence  and  prominence, 
he  never  referred  to  his  early  years.  While  noth- 
ing is  known  of  his  maternal  ancestors,  there  are 
a  few  meagre  facts  concerning  his  paternal  great- 
grandfather, grandfather,  and  father.  His  great- 
grandfather was  a  physician  named  Leo,  who  had 
studied  medicine  at  Padua,  practised  at  Marien- 
bad,  and  lived  in  the  neighbourhood,  in  the  village 
of  Durmaul.  This  physician  was  known  as  Dr. 
Leo,  and  spoken  of  by  his  co-religionists  as  Leo 
"Chakam, "  the  Hebrew  for  Vv^ise.  The  son  of 
this  Dr.  Leo,  or  Leo  Weis,  was  Isaiah,  who  also 
studied  medicine  at  Padua  and  likewise  settled  at 

22 


Early  Years  23 

Durmaul.  This  Doctor  Isaiah  lived  to  be  over 
ninety  years  of  age.  Besides  learned  in  his  pro- 
fession he  was  well  versed  in  Talmudical  and 
rabbinical  literature,  and  became  the  teacher  of  his 
son,  whom  he  named  for  his  father,  Leo.  This 
Leo,  grandson  of  the  Doctor  Leo  who  had  studied 
at  Padua,  was  educated  by  liis  father  and  became 
a  teacher.  Leo  Weis  was  never  a  vigorous  man, 
and  died  shortly  after  the  birth  of  his  youngest 
child,  a  daughter.  Nothing  certain  is  known  of 
his  early  life.  Shortly  after  receiving  his  educa- 
tion he  removed  from  Durmaul  to  Steingrub,  a 
small  village  of  a  few  hundred  inhabitants  near 
the  town  of  Eger,  in  Bohemia,  overlooking  Saxony 
and  Bavaria.  In  this  village  of  Steingrub,  in 
which  there  dwelt  a  large  number  of  Catholics, 
Leo  Weis  was  married  twice.  His  second  wife 
was  Regina  Weis.  The  families  were  distantly 
related.  As  already  stated,  nothing  is  known  of 
the  ancestry  of  Regina  Weis.  She  was,  however, 
a  handsome  woman,  bright,  cheerful,  lovable,  and 
devoted.  She  emigrated  to  America  in  1867 
with  her  son  Samuel  and  later  lived  in  Peoria, 
Illinois,  with  her  daughter,  Caroline  Korsosky, 
where  she  died  in  1880  at  a  ripe  old  age. 

In  July,  1877,  Dr.  Wise,  en  route  to  the  Coast, 
stopped  at  Peoria  to  visit  his  mother,  and  he  writes 


24  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

delightfully  of  her  as  follows':  "You  need  not 
laugh,  we  must  stop  to  see  the  ladies.  Here  is 
one  of  them,  a  wonderful  woman.  She  is  eighty- 
six  years  old,  speaks,  hears,  and  sees  like  a  young 
woman,  and  goes  every  Sabbath  to  the  temple 
even  if  it  rains  or  is  right  hot.  She  tells  beautiful 
stories  of  sixty  to  seventy-five  years  ago,  and 
laughs  over  a  good  joke  of  today.  She  is  never 
cross,  never  displeased,  and  has  a  kind  word  for 
everyone.  She  speaks,  thinks,  and  feels  as  I  do, 
and  like  me  she  laughs  over  the  world's  numerous  _ 
follies.  She  looks  like  me,  and  is  as  incurable  an 
optimist  as  I  am.  She  is  my  mother.  God  bless 
her.    I  stopped  over  to  see  her  and  my  baby  sister." 

Of  this  marriage  there  were  born  thirteen  chil- 
dren, seven  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Isaac 
Mayer  was  the  oldest  surviving  son.  He  was  born 
on  March  29,  18 19.  The  Hebrew  date,  which  in 
later  years  was  always  observed  as  his  birthday, 
was  the  third  day  of  Nissan,  5579. 

The  family  was  very  poor  and  barely  eked  out 
an  existence.  The  father  was  the  typical  Jewish 
school  teacher  of  the  Bohemian  village.  Besides 
conducting  a  small  school  he  performed  all  the 
necessary  duties  as  functionary  of  the  Jewish 
community,  such  as  reading  the  prayers  morning 

'  Israelite,  vol.  xxix.,  No.  2, 


Early  Years  25 

and  evening,   slaughtering  the   cattle   and   fowl, 
and  officiating  at  times  as  minister. 

Young  Wise  began  at  the  age  of  four  to  attend 
his  father's  school;  when  he  was  six  years  old  he 
received  his  first  instruction  in  Talmud,  and  within 
three  years  thereafter  he  showed  such  precocity 
that  his  father  was  unable  to  give  him  individual 
attention.  It  was  then  decided  that  he  should  live 
with  his  grandfather,  Dr.  Isaiah,  at  Durmaul. 
Here  he  attended  the  Jewish  day  school,  where 
most  of  the  time  was  taken  up  in  the  study  of  the 
Talmud,  and  once  a  week  the  Pentateuch  with 
Aramaic  translation  and  Rashi  commentary  was 
studied.  The  young  boy,  however,  had  the 
advantage  of  receiving  in  the  evening  personal 
instruction  from  his  learned  grandfather,  Dr. 
Isaiah.  The  following  anecdote  is  told  of  his  stay 
with  the  learned  physician:  "At  ten  the  boy  was 
invariably  sent  to  bed,  but  the  grandfather  sat 
up  till  midnight  poring  over  huge  tomes.  These 
midnight  vigils  excited  the  boy's  curiosity,  espe- 
cially as  he  had  noted  a  large  wooden  box  which  was 
never  opened  in  his  presence,  but  from  which  the 
child,  who  was  supposed  to  have  been  asleep,  saw 
his  grandfather  take  books;  the  mysterious  box 
was  meddled  with,  and  one  day  yielded  to  manipu- 
lation, when  it  was  found  to  be  filled  with  cabal- 


26  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

istic  works,  with  the  mysticism  of  which  the 
physician  busied  himself  in  the  still  hours  of  the 
night.  "^ 

When  the  lad  was  twelve  years  old  his  learned 
grandfather  died.  Inasmuch  as  his  parents  in 
Steingrub  were  in  no  position  to  care  for  him,  and 
as  he  had  already  determined  to  become  a  rabbi, 
he  set  out  for  Prague,  the  capital  of  Bohemia,  and 
at  that  time  the  centre  of  Jewish  learning  of 
Bohemia.  He  started  on  his  journey  afoot,  with 
a  small  bundle  of  clothes  and  twenty-seven  kreut- 
zer  in  his  pocket.  En  route  he  stopped  at  Mies 
where  a  cousin  gave  him  five  florins,  and  at  Pilsen 
an  uncle,  an  officer  in  the  artillery,  bestowed  upon 
him  ten  more.  When  he  arrived  at  Prague  he  at 
once  attended  the  Jewish  school  called  the  Beth 
Hammidrash,  which  adjoined  the  Alt-Neu-Schul, 
the  famous  Synagogue  of  Prague.  In  his  "Recol- 
lections of  Bohemia,"  quoted  in  the  first  chapter  of 
this  book.  Dr.  Wise  tells  of  the  custom  of  the  well- 
to-do  Jews  to  give  to  poor  and  deserving  students 
"day-board,"  so  that  they  could  piu-sue  their 
studies.  Had  it  not  been  for  this  custom  and 
charity  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  young  student 
could  have  reached  the  goal  of  his  ambition.  In 
later  life  he  never  forgot  this  great  boon  shown  him 

'Philipson-Grossmann's  Selected  Writings  of  Isaac  M.  Wise,  p.  3. 


Early  Years  27 

in  youth,  and  no  young  man  who  wished  to  study 
ever  left  him  unassisted.  In  his  home  there  were 
always  to  be  found  young  men  who  lived  with 
him,  and  when  more  than  forty  years  later  the 
Hebrew  Union  College  at  Cincinnati  was  opened 
he  became  the  guardian  angel  of  many  a  young 
student.  In  Prague  he  was  assisted  first  by  the 
widow  of  Rabbi  Bezalel  Ronsperg,  an  uncle  of  his 
mother.  He  also  gained  the  friendship  and  assist- 
ance of  a  wealthy  Jew  named  Moses  Fischel, 
through  a  boyish  prank. 

Fischel's  daughter  was  about  to  be  married. 
It  was  customary  for  the  bridegroom  on  the  Sab- 
bath afternoon  before  the  wedding  to  give  proof 
of  his  Talmudical  learning  before  an  invited  audi- 
ence. Young  Wise  and  some  of  his  fellows  hap- 
pened in  the  Synagogue  and  mischievously  began 
to  question  the  prospective  bridegroom,  who, 
entirely  ignorant  of  his  subject,  which  he  had 
learned  by  rote,  broke  down  and  was  unable  to 
answer  the  questions.  This  disclosure  so  mortified 
Moses  Fischel  that  in  a  fit  of  anger  he  boxed  young 
Wise's  ears.  The  next  day  Moses  Fischel,  rich 
and  influential,  sought  out  the  boy  and  apologized 
for  his  conduct.  Upon  learning  that  the  young 
boy  was  among  the  best  pupils  of  the  school  he 
became  interested  in  him,  frequently  invited  him 


28  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

to  his  house,  where,  when  partaking  of  his  hos- 
pitaHty,  young  Wise  found  generous  sums  of 
money  under  his  plate. 

Wise  remained  at  Prague  about  two  years. 
He  was  ever  fortunate  in  making  the  useful  ac- 
quaintance of  learned  men.  At  this  time  Prof. 
Moses  Koref,  a  teacher  of  mathematics  in  the 
school  at  Prague,  became  interested  in  him,  and 
in  the  evenings  gave  him  private  instruction  in 
arithmetic,  algebra,  and  geometry,  and  thus  was 
laid  the  foundation  for  his  scientific  training, 
which  stood  him  in  such  good  stead  in  later  years. 
After  leaving  the  intermediate  school,  the  Beth 
Hammidrash,  he  went  to  the  high  school  of 
Jewish  learning,  the  Yeshibah,  as  it  was  called. 
He  attended  two  of  these  schools,  one  of  Rabbi 
Loeb  Glogau,  the  other  the  leading  rabbinical 
school  of  Prague,  conducted  by  Rabbi  Samuel 
Freund,  one  of  the  greatest  Talmudical  scholars 
of  his  age. 

About  1835  he  went  to  Jenikau  to  attend  the 
most  famous  Bohemian,  rabbinical  school,  that 
conducted  by  Rabbi  Aaron  Kornfeld.  This  school 
had  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  pupils,  and,  under 
the  provisions  of  the  law  in  force  at  that  time,  any 
student  could  accept  a  rabbinical  position  provided 
a   rabbinical    court   of   three,    technically    called 


Early  Years  29 

"Beth  Din,"  passed  the  candidate.  In  July, 
1837,  however,  a  governmental  decree  was  issued 
providing  that  thereafter  no  one  could  become  a 
rabbi  unless  he  had  pursued  certain  courses  at  the 
gymnasium  and  the  university.  Wise's  liberal 
and  progressive  spirit  may  be  attributed  in  a  great 
degree  to  the  influence  that  surrounded  him  at 
Jenikau.  In  the  first  place  Rabbi  Aaron  Korn- 
feld,  the  head  of  the  school,  was  opposed  to  the 
prevailing  method  of  disputation,  the  hair-split- 
ting method,  or  pilpulism,  as  it  was  called.  He 
also  recommended  to  his  scholars  the  study  of 
geography,  history,  and  mathematics.  The  local 
rabbi  of  Jenikau,  Jonathan  Altar,  had  two  sons  who 
had]studied  at  the  University  of  Prague.  These 
young  men  with  whom  Wise  became  acquainted 
had  read  the  German  poets,  Goethe,  Schiller,  and 
Herder,  and  through  their  influence  the  imagina- 
tive and  poetic  young  Wise  turned  to  these  mas- 
ters of  German  literature  and  at  once  became 
absorbed  in  the  best  German  literature  of  the  day. 
After  the  governmental  decree  reqiiiring  at- 
tendance at  the  gymnasium  and  the  university. 
Wise  went  to  Prague  again  and  became  a  tutor 
in  the  house  of  Leopold  Jerusalem.  He  success- 
fully passed  the  examination  of  three  gymnasium 
courses    in    his    nineteenth    year.     Shortly    after 


30  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

coming  to  Prague,  Jerusalem  died  and,  as  his 
children,  whom  Wise  had  tutored,  were  sent  to 
school,  Wise  was  compelled  to  find  another  posi- 
tion as  tutor.  Unable  to  find  one  in  Prague,  he 
was  fortunate  enough  to  be  accepted  as  a  tutor 
in  the  house  of  Herman  Bloch,  a  merchant  in  the 
small  village  of  Grafenried.  In  the  neighbour- 
hood there  was  a  town,  Wassersuppen,  in  which 
the  assistant  of  the  Catholic  priest  was  studying 
for  the  priesthood.  The  prospective  priest  and 
rabbi  formed  an  educational  alliance,  the  former 
instructing  the  latter  in  Greek  in  exchange  for 
lessons  in  Hebrew.  Surely  Hellenism  and  He- 
braism were  not  at  cross-purposes  in  this  instance. 
Within  a  year  he  returned  to  Prague,  and  after 
six  months'  attendance  at  the  gymnasium  passed 
the  examinations  of  the  fourth  and  fifth  classes. 
However,  upon  the  recommendation  of  Rabbi 
Solomon  Judah  Rappaport,  of  Prague,  he  was 
elected  teacher  by  the  Jewish  community  of 
Ronsperg.  As  there  were  no  Jews  at  this  time 
who  had  passed  examinations  for  the  university, 
without  which  no  one  could  become  a  teacher,  the 
government  permitted  V/ise  to  accept  because  he 
had  passed  through  the  five  classes  of  the  gym- 
nasium. After  remaining  at  Ronsperg  for  the 
year,  he  went  to  Pressburg  in  Hungary  to  pass  his 


Early  Years  31 

final  examination  for  the  university.  He  went  to 
Hungary  because  in  Austria  he  would  not  have  been 
permitted  to  take  the  examinations  unless  he  had 
attended  the  classes  of  the  upper  gymnasium  for 
a  full  year.  While  at  Pressburg  he  also  attended 
the  rabbinical  school  of  Rabbi  Moses  Sopher. 

On  his  return  to  Prague  he  attended  the  uni- 
versity for  two  years,  living  in  the  meantime  in 
the  house  of  Rappaport,  and  tutored  and  copied 
music  for  a  living.  After  leaving  Prague  he 
attended  the  University  of  Vienna  for  a  year. 
Here  he  lived  for  a  time  at  the  house  of  the  leading 
Jewish  preacher,  Isaac  Noah  Mannheimer,  and 
here  he  also  met  Sulzer,  the  famous  cantor,  and 
frequently  dined  with  both  of  these  celebrated 
men.  Soon  after  his  arrival,  however,  he  became 
a  teacher  in  the  family  of  Herr  von  Wertheimstein, 
a  wealthy  and  influential  man,  with  whose  son  he 
travelled  in  Italy.  Upon  his  return  to  Prague  he 
lived  again  with  Rabbi  Rappaport,  and  at  the  age 
of  twenty-three  (1842)  passed  a  creditable  rab- 
binical examination  before  the  Beth  Din,  the 
rabbinical  court  composed  of  Rabbis  Rappaport, 
Freund,  and  Teweles,  who  conferred  upon  him  the 
rabbinical  title  of  Rabbi,  a  title  that  he  as  Presi- 
dent of  the  Hebrew  Union  College  conferred  tipon 
sixty-one  rabbis  between  1883  and  1899. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  LAST  YEARS  IN  EUROPE 

The  first  and  only  rabbinical  position  in  Bo- 
hemia and  Europe  held  by  Wise  was  at  Radnitz, 
a  small  town  near  Pilsen,  Bohemia.  When  the 
congregation  at  Radnitz  in  1843  requested  Solo- 
mon Judah  Rappaport,  the  chief  rabbi  of  Prague, 
to  send  them  a  competent  man  who  could  officiate 
as  a  rabbi,  he  stated  he  would  send  them  a  "new 
light,"  and,  upon  his  recommendation,  the  re- 
cently ordained  Rabbi  Wise  went  to  Radnitz, 
delivered  a  sermon,  and  was  immediately  elected. 
He  was  inducted  into  office  on  October  26,  1843, 
and  took  as  the  text  of  his  inaugural  sermon, 
Isaiah  li;  1-3:  "Hearken  to  me  ye  that  follow 
after  righteousness,  ye  that  seek  the  Lord;  look 
unto  the  rock  whence  ye  are  hewn  and  the  hole 
of  the  pit  whence  you  are  digged.  Look  unto 
Abraham,  your  father,  and  unto  Sarah  that  bare 
you,  for  I  called  him  alone  and  blessed  him  and 
increased  him.     For  the  Lord  shall  comfort  Zion 

32 


The  Last  Years  in  Europe  33 

and  he  will  comfort  all  in  waste  places,  and  he  will 
make  her  wilderness  like  Eden  and  her  desert  like 
a  garden  of  the  Lord:  joy  and  gladness  shall  be 
found  therein,  thanksgiving,  and  the  voice  of 
melody. " 

In  October,  1893,  fifty  years  thereafter,  Dr. 
Wise  refers  to  his  induction  in  office  in  the  follow- 
ing manner^: 

"Fifty  years  ago  this  day  the  oldest  son  of  a 
Bohemian  village  schoolmaster  and  a  minister  of 
a  small  congregation,  preached  his  inaugural 
sermon  (Isaiah  li;  1-3)  before  the  large  and  highly 
respectable  congregation  of  Radnitz,  Bohemia. 
I  was  humbly  aware  of  my  imperfections  and  with 
little  confidence  in  my  ability  to  do  justice  to  the 
sacred  ofhce. "  Notwithstanding  his  doubts,  he 
began  to  preach  in  German  regularly.  Besides 
him,  there  was  but  one  rabbi  in  Bohemia,  outside 
of  Prague,  who  preached  in  German.  The  young 
rabbi,  he  was  in  his  twenty-fifth  year,  opened  a 
day-school  in  Radnitz,  and  was  able  to  overcome 
the  opposition  of  the  Catholics  by  obtaining  the 
special  consent  of  the  minister  of  education. 

At  this  time  he  was  greatly  influenced  by  the 
liberal  movement  that  was  in  progress  among  the 
German   Jews.      While   at    the   university   there 

'  Israelite,  vol.  xl.,  No.  17. 


34  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

appeared  a  book  b}^  Rabbi  Samuel  Hirsch,  then 
living  at  Dessau,  Die  Religionsphilosophie  der 
Juden.  Speaking  of  this  work,  Dr.  Wise  wrote 
in  April,  1889':  "We  only  wish  to  add  that 
another  book  which  appeared  when  we  had  en- 
tered upon  the  twenty-second  year  of  our  age 
exercised  a  similar  influence  upon  the  forma- 
tion of  our  character  and  that  was  Dr.  Samuel 
Hirsch's  great  work  on  Jewish  philosophy.  This 
book  impressed  us  among  the  then  small  band  of 
disciples  of  Saadia,  Maimonides,  Albo,  and  their 
compatriots  at  a  time  when  wavering  between  the 
two  standpoints  of  the  crystallized  'Halachah' 
the  rational  and  progressive  theology  of  the 
Moorish-Spanish  savants.  Rappaport  taught  us 
the  method  of  research,  Sachs  gave  us  the  rules  of 
pulpit  oratory,  and  Riesser  made  us  feel  free,  and 
Hirsch  led  us  to  think  free." 

Gabriel  Riesser  referred  to  above  largely  influ- 
enced the  young  boy  Wise,  "leading  him  into  a 
new  sphere  of  right  and  freedom  then  unknown  to 
the  masses  of  his  co-religionists,  and  especially 
to  the  students  of  the  Talmud."  Gabriel  Riesser 
( 1 806-1 863)  was  the  grandson  of  Rabbi  Raphael 
Cohen.  He  studied  law,  but  because  of  the  dis- 
abilities under  which  the  Jews  in  Germany  lived, 

'  Israelite,  vol.  xxxv.,  No.  43. 


The  Last  Years  in  Europe  35 

he  was  greatly  hampered  in  making  progress  in 
his  chosen  profession.  The  German  Judaephobia 
aroused  him,  and  he  became  the  champion  of  the 
movement  for  the  emancipation  of  the  German 
Jews.  Being  rejected  as  an  attorney  in  his  native 
town  on  account  of  his  religion,  he  sought  to 
deliver  lectures  in  jurisprudence  at  Heidelberg, 
but  he  was  denied  this  privilege.  Met  by  these 
rebuffs,  Riesser  was  instantly  aroused.  Graetz 
says^:  "Thus  Riesser,  who  felt  no  particular 
call  to  work  for  the  general  good,  was  driven  to 
become  an  agitator,  not  alone  for  the  freedom  of 
his  co-religionists,  but  also  for  that  of  the  whole 
German  nation.  He  made  it  his  duty  in  life  to 
secure  equal  privileges  for  the  Jews  and  to  defend 
them  whenever  attacked.  'The  unspeakable  suf- 
ferings, throughout  two  centuries,  of  many  millions 
of  persons  who  patiently  waited  for  deliverance 
weighed  heavily  upon  him.  His  ideal  was  Lessing. 
In  his  first  pamphlet  (1831)  he  spoke  with  con- 
scious pride,  not  alone  against  German  rulers, 
but  against  the  people  who  refused  permission  to 
the  Jews  to  ascend  even  the  lowest  rung  on  the 
ladder  of  distinction." 

In    1874,   Wise,   speaking  of  Gabriel   Riesser's 
visit    in    1856    to    Cincinnati,    says^:    "Gabriel 

'  Graetz,  vol.  v.,  p.  599.  *  Reminiscences,  p.  338. 


36  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Riesser,  of  Hamburg,  the  mighty  champion  of 
emancipation  of  the  German  Jews,  and  vice- 
president  of  the  Parhament  of  Frankfort  in  1848, 
travelled  through  the  United  States  and  visited 
Cincinnati  in  the  course  of  his  journey.  It  was 
from  the  journal  edited  by  this  man  that  I  learned 
in  1 83 1  in  a  distant  village  of  Bohemia,  that  the 
Jew  also  had  inborn  human  rights  that  must  be 
respected  by  eVery  honourable  man.  I  still  re- 
member how  he  told  the  German  country  squires, 
soldiers,  and  pikemen,  boldly :  '  You  have  the  can- 
non, and  you  have  the  power,  therefore  you  are 
what  you  want  to  be,  and  will  not  let  us  become 
what  we  might  be.  Give  us  the  cannon,  give  us 
the  power,  and  we  will  be  what  we  wish  to  be, 
and  let  you  be  what  you  can.'  Severely  as  I  was 
scolded  by  my  aged  Talmud  teacher  whenever  I 
read  a  German  book  or  magazine,  yet  I  managed 
to  procure  every  leaflet  that  bore  the  name  of 
Gabriel  Riesser,  and  I  read  it  with  childish  delight. 
I  had  to  weep  frequently  at  the  wrongs  which  he 
set  forth  and  the  mighty  language  with  which  he 
castigated. " 

Imbued  with  such  democratic  doctrines  it  is 
little  wonder  that  the  progressive  young  rabbi 
soon  found  himself  in  opposition  to  both  church 
and  state.     Being  summoned  to  Pilsen,  before  the 


The  Last  Years  in  Europe  37 

governor  of  the  district  in  which  Radnitz  was 
situated,  for  referring  only  casually  to  the  Emperor 
Ferdinand's  birthday,  instead  of  preaching  a 
laudatory  sermon  as  contemplated  by  the  order 
directing  especial  service  to  be  held  in  honour  of 
that  event,  he  refused  to  answer  questions  ad- 
dressed to  him  in  the  third  person,  e.  g.:  "Is  he  a 
loyal  citizen?"  Saying:  "I  am  not  a  he." 

Mention  has  already  been  made  of  the  restric- 
tions placed  upon  the  Jew's  right  to  marry.  The 
Radnitz  rabbi  married  all  Jewish  couples  despite 
the  fact  that  the  groom  did  not  possess  the  much 
coveted  "  Familiantenrecht, "  the  right  to  marry. 
When  called  to  task  for  this  infraction  of  the  law 
he  bitterly  complained  against  its  iniquity  and 
unjustness,  and  stated  he  would  continue  to  dis- 
regard so  inhuman  an  edict.  When  questioned 
at  Prague  by  a  member  of  the  imperial  council  in 
charge  of  Jewish  affairs  as  to  the  cause  of  so  many 
illegitimate  births  among  the  Jews,  he  pointed  out 
that  it  was  due  solely  to  the  barbarous  restrictions 
of  the  right  to  marry.  On  account  of  his  inde- 
pendent nature  he  came  into  conflict  with  the  dis- 
trict rabbi,  Abraham  Kafka,  and  his  position 
became  irksome. 

On  May  26,  1844,^  Isaac  Mayer  Wise  married 

'  Record  in  Family  Bible. 


38  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

at  Grafenried  a  former  pupil,  Theresa  Bloch,  the 
daughter  of  Herman  Bloch,  and  the  sister  of 
Edward  and  Joseph  Bloch,  whom  he  had  tutored 
at  Prague.  Theresa  Bloch,  who  was  two  years 
younger  than  he,  was  a  beautiful  woman,  small 
of  stature,  with  a  lovable  and  sweet  disposition. 
She  had  a  great  fund  of  common  sense  and  an 
abiding  faith  in  her  ambitious  young  lover  and 
husband.  The  young  couple  were  ideally  mated, 
and  with  mutual  confidence  there  began  a  happy 
married  life  which  was  to  last  for  thirty  years. 
His  eldest  child,  a  girl,  named  Emily,  was  born 
February  22,  1846. 

In  1845,  while  visiting  Frankfort,  the  young 
rabbi  was  a  spectator  at  the  famous  second  rab- 
binical conference  over  which  presided  Leopold 
Stein,  of  Frankfort,  formerly  of  Burgkunstadt. 
This  was  the  second  of  the  three  great  reform 
rabbinical  conferences  that  were  held  in  Germany 
(1844-1846).  The  first  took  place  at  Brunswick 
in  1844,  and  the  third  at  Breslau  in  1846.  The 
leading  spirits  of  these  conferences  were  Abraham 
Geiger,  Samuel  Holdheim,  Leopold  Stein,  Ludwig 
Philippson,  Samuel  Adler,  David  Einhorn,  and 
Zacharias  Frankel.  At  the  Franlvfort  conference 
the  principal  topics  of  discussion  were  the  ques- 
tions presented  by  the  report  of  the  Commission 


The  Last  Years  in  Europe  39 

on  Litiirgy  which  had  been  appointed  in  pursuance 
of  a  resolution  adopted  by  the  Brunswick  con- 
ference. The  principal  questions  presented  and 
discussed  were  the  necessity  for  the  retention 
of  the  Hebrew  in  the  public  service,  the  prayers 
for  the  return  to  Palestine,  and  the  restoration  of 
the  sacrificial  cult ;  likewise  the  observance  of  the 
custom  of  calling  to  the  pulpit  men  to  read  parts  of 
the  Scripture  and  the  introduction  of  the  organ 
into  the  synagogue.  All  of  these  questions  were 
ably  and  fully  discussed  by  the  members,  leaders 
of  reform  Judaism  in  Germany,  and  the  young 
Rabbi  of  Radnitz  who  no  doubt  was  in  hearty 
accord  with  these  reformers  must  have  been 
greatly  stirred  and  influenced  by  the  debates;  for 
nearly  all  the  reforms  approved  at  this  conference 
were  eventually  introduced  by  him  in  America. 
It  was  this  conference  which,  at  the  suggestion  of 
Ludwig  Philippson,  the  great  editor  of  the  Alle- 
gemeitce  Zeiiung  des  Judenlhums,  adopted  reso- 
lutions declaring  "the  foundation  of  one  or  more 
Jewish  theological  faculties  in  Germany  a  worthy 
and  high  endeavour,"  and  resolved  "That  a  com- 
mission be  appointed  to  interest  the  public  in  this 
noble  cause."  The  commission  appointed  con- 
sisted of  Geiger,  Philippson,  Stein,  Holdheim,  and 
Solomon.     On  his  return  to  Radnitz  one  can  read- 


40  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

ily  understand  how  Rabbi  Wise  soon  became  dis- 
satisfied with  his  narrow  environment.  He  had 
famiHarized  himself  with  the  English  language 
by  reading  several  volumes  of  American-English 
reprints,  among  which  were  contained  letters  of 
Richard  Henry  Lee,  under  the  nom  de  plume  "Fed- 
eral Farmer,"  on  the  adoption  of  the  constitution 
proposed  in  1787  for  the  United  States.  Wise 
had  also  read  many  novels  of  J.  Fenimore 
Cooper,  and  was  familiar  with  the  English 
Bible. 

In  his  fiftieth  anniversary  sermon,  above  re- 
ferred to,  he  says:  "I  was  well  satisfied  with  my 
condition  materially  and  yet  I  was  morbidly  dis- 
satisfied with  everything;  the  country,  the  city, 
Judaism  and  Christianity,  everything  in  any  State 
appeared  to  me  a  disappointment;  my  ideals  were 
far  above  the  realities,  and  I  could  see  no  pros- 
pect of  improvement.  I  felt  sick  of  home.  The 
irresistible  longing  for  other  conditions;  another 
state  of  things  generally  became  to  me  finally  the 
message  to  Abraham — 'Get  thee  out  of  thy 
country,  and  far  from  thy  kindred,  and  from  thy 
father's  house  unto  the  land  which  I  shall  show 
thee.'  All  my  considerations  as  to  such  a  ven- 
tm-ous  step  were  silenced  by  the  charge  to  Eliezer 
— 'He  will  send  his  angels  before  thee.'     'You 


The  Last  Years  in  Europe  41 

must  emigrate '  became  to  me  al'  divine  command- 
ment which  I  could  not  overcome  in  spite  of 
myself. 

"In  an  antiquarian  bookstore  in  the  city  of 
Prague  I  found  a  collection  of  American-English 
prints,  and  in  it  a  set  of  journals  from  the  year 
1 780-1 790.  I  purchased  the  whole  and  read  with 
the  heart  more  perhaps  than  with  the  reason. 
That  Uterature  made  of  me  a  naturalized  Ameri- 
can in  the  interior  of  Bohemia.  It  inspired  in 
me  the  resolution  to  go  to  America,  and  against 
the  will  of  my  friends  I  did  go  and  my  family  with 


me." 


And  so,  being  a  progressive  in  his  religious  belief 
and  democratic  in  his  political  views,  he  began  to 
make  preparations  for  his  departure  from  Rad- 
nitz.  When  he  applied  for  a  passport  he  was 
refused  with  the  words:  "Do  you  think  we  opened 
schools  for  you  to  take  your  learning  to  America  ? " 
Nothing  daunted,  Wise  resigned  his  position  at 
Radnitz,  and  without  a  passport,  accompanied  by 
his  young  wife,  and  baby  girl  who  had  been  born 
a  few  months  previously,  crossed  the  border  into 
Saxony  and  proceeded  on  his  way  to  Bremen 
whence  he  was  to  sail  for  the  promised  land.  At 
Leipsic  he  met  Berthold  Auerbach,  in  Breslau, 
Abraham  Geiger,  at  Magdeburg,  Ludwig  Philipp- 


42  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

son,  in  Frankfort,  Leopold  Stein,  and  at  Berlin, 
Michael  Sachs,  from  whom  he  learned  the  art  of 
pulpit  oratory.  Leopold  Stein,  who  until  1844 
was  rabbi  at  Burgkunstadt,  whence  emigrated  to 
America  many  Jewish  families  who  settled  in  Cin- 
cinnati, must  have  impressed  him  very  much. 
Apropos  of  his  death.  Wise,  on  December  15, 1882,  " 
wrote':  "It  may  be  put  down  as  a  fact  that  re- 
form among  American  Jews  was  accelerated  by 
Leopold  Stein,  because  many  of  our  leading  men 
and  women  in  this  country  were  educated  under  his 
influence  and  felt  a  rare  attachment  to  him  and  his 
teachings." 

About  the  twentieth  of  May,  1846,  Wise  set 
sail  from  Bremerhaven  in  the  vessel  Marie  and 
arrived,  after  a  stormy  voyage  of  sixty-three  days, 
at  New  York,  July  23,  1846.  After  his  arrival  in 
America  he  desired  only  once  to  return  to  Europe, 
and  then  not  to  Bohemia  but  to  Germany.  That 
was  in  1848,  when  discouraged  at  Albany  he  heard 
in  the  spring  of  that  year  of  the  revolution  in 
Paris  and  throughout  Europe.  He  then  expected 
the  formation  of  a  European  republic.  His  wife 
declined  to  accompany  him,  and  both  William 
H.  Seward  and  Horace  Greeley  advised  him  to 
remain.     After   that   struggle   with   himself   and 

'  Israelite,  vol.  xxix.,  N.  S.,  No.  24. 


The  Last  Years  in  Europe  43 

the  subsequent  fiasco  of  the  1848  movement  in 
Germany  and  Austria,  he  never  had  the  desire 
to  return  even  for  a  brief  visit,  and  often  expressed 
himself  as  being  heartily  sick  of  the  monarchical 
systems  of  Germany  and  Austria. 

He  came  to  America  with  definite  plans  and 
purposes,  chief  among  these  was  to  liberate  the 
Jew  from  his  narrow  bigoted  environment,  to 
secure  for  him  the  enjoyment  of  equal  political 
and  religious  rights,  and  to  make  him  an  inde- 
pendent and  respected  citizen  of  the  community 
in  which  he  lived. 

He  succeeded  in  all  his  purposes,  but  not  with- 
out a  bitter  and  fierce  struggle.  The  succeeding 
fifty-four  years  of  his  life  (i  846-1 900)  are  in  reality 
the  history  of  Judaism  in  America,  for  during  that 
time  he  established  the  American  Israelite  and  Die 
Deborah,  organized  the  Union  of  American  He- 
brew Congregations;  founded  the  Hebrew  Union 
College  at  Cincinnati,  and  the  Central  Conference 
of  American  Rabbis.  The  history  of  the  fore- 
going institutions  is  the  history  of  Judaism  in 
America. 

He  overshadowed  every  other  rabbi  in  this 
country  between  1854  ^^"^  1900,  and,  despite  the 
opposition  of  the  most  powerful,  he  succeeded  in 
Americanizing  the  Jew  and  Judaism. 


44  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Diiring  his  half  century  and  more  in  this  coun- 
try he  held  but  three  rabbinical  positions,  two  in 
Albany,  1 846-1 854,  and  one  in  Cincinnati,  1854- 
1900. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE   PROMISED  LAND 

In  the  summer  of  1846  Wise  arrived  in  New 
York  with  much  luggage  and  little  money.  At 
the  dock  his  knowledge  of  English  prevented  him 
from  being  grossly  overcharged  by  expressmen, 
but  brought  upon  him  the  abuse  of  the  German 
drivers  who,  without  delay,  cried  out  derisively 
against  the  Jews.  This  greeting  in  the  land  of  the 
free  was  a  rude  awakening  to  him.  Neither  did 
the  city  of  New  York  at  this  time  impress  him 
favourably.  In  the  first  chapter  of  his  Remi- 
niscences, written  nearly  thirty  years  afterwards, 
he  writes^:  "The  whole  city  appeared  to  me  like 
a  large  shop  where  everyone  buys  or  sells,  cheats 
or  is  cheated.  I  had  never  known  before  a  city 
so  bare  of  all  art  and  of  every  trace  of  good  taste ; 
likewise  I  had  never  witnessed  anywhere  such 
rushing,  hiu*rying,  chasing,  running.  In  addition 
to  this  there  was  the  crying,  blowing,  clamouring, 

'  Page  18. 

45 


46  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

and  other  noises  of  the  fishmongers,  milkmen, 
newsboys,  etc.  .  ,  .  All  this  shocked  my  ses- 
thetic  sense  beyond  expression.  In  the  first  few- 
days  I  heard  the  sound  of  music  but  once  in  the 
street.  This  was  produced  by  a  wandering  medi- 
ocre Bohemian  band  which  thundered  Turkish 
music.  .  .  ,  Everything  seemed  so  pitifully 
small  and  paltry ;  and  I  had  had  so  exalted  an  idea 
of  the  land  of  freedom  that  New  York  seemed  to 
me  like  a  lost  station  by  the  sea;  on  the  first  day 
I  longed  to  be  away  from  the  city. " 

During  the  first  weeks  after  his  arrival  he 
opened  a  night  school  in  the  basement  of  the 
house  he  lived  in,  giving  the  young  foreigners  he 
found  there  instruction  in  English,  but  as  he 
humorously  says:  "The  experiment  lasted  only  a 
week  or  two,  for  I  discovered  that  I  had  poor  pay- 
ing pupils,  and  they  discovered  they  had  a  still 
poorer  teacher." 

The  first  Jews  to  settle  in  America  were  of 
Spanish  and  Portuguese  descent.  They  came 
here  from  England,  Holland,  Brazil,  and  the  West 
Indies,  and  established  congregations  in  New- 
port, R.  L,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Richmond, 
Va.,  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  Savannah,  Ga. 
Between  1820  and  1845  there  was  a  large 
immigration  of    German,    Polish,    and   Austrian 


The  Promised  Land  47 

Jews,  driven  to  this  country  by  the  intoler- 
able conditions  abroad,  due  to  the  reaction  that 
set  in  after  Waterloo.  Many  of  the  immigrants 
were  men  of  liberal  views  who  had  emancipated 
themselves  from  all  burdensome  religious  observ- 
ances. The  earliest  comers  settled  in  cities  where 
Portuguese  congregations  existed  and  affiliated 
with  such  congregations.  The  majority  of  the 
immigrants,  however,  established  German  and 
Polish  congregations  and  benevolent  societies  in 
the  above  cities,  and  later  in  Boston,  New  Haven, 
Hartford,  Baltimore,  Albany,  Syracuse,  Rochester, 
Buffalo,  Cleveland,  Cincinnati,  and  St  Louis.  A 
large  number  settled  in  smaller  towns  and  through 
intermarriage  were  lost  to  Judaism.  In  1846 
there  were  seven  Jewish  congregations  in  New 
York,  two  communal  schools,  and  a  number  of 
Jewish  mutual  benefit  associations.  At  this  time 
there  were  but  three  German  officiating  rabbis  in 
America:  Dr.  Max  Lilienthal  and  Dr.  Leo  Mers- 
bacher,  in  New  York,  and  the  Rev.  Gustav 
Posnanski,  in  Charleston,  S.  C.  Within  the  con- 
gregations, with  the  exception  of  the  three,  Beth 
Elohim,  of  Charleston,  S.  C,  Har  Sinai,  at  Bal- 
timore, and  Temple  Emanuel,  of  New  York,  the 
strictest  orthodoxy  prevailed.  Ignorance  of  Jew- 
ish literature  was  the  order  of  the  day,  and  there 


48  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

was  the  same  lack  of  decorum  and  discipline  that 
existed  in  Europe.  The  old  customs  so  religiously 
observed  in  the  home  country  for  the  most  part, 
were  strictly  insisted  upon  in  the  new  settlements. 
Outside  of  the  three  reform  congregations  in  New 
York,  Baltimore,  and  Charleston,  most  of  the  Ger- 
man and  Polish  congregations  were  ultra  orthodox. 
At  this  time,  with  the  exception  of  Dr.  Max  Lilien- 
thal,  of  New  York,  no  rabbi  officiated  in  any 
orthodox  congregation.  In  these  congregations 
there  was  usually  the  cantor  or  the  chazan,  as  he 
was  usually  called,  who  chanted  the  services,  the 
shochet,  or  the  slaughterer  of  cattle  and  fowl  ac- 
cording to  religious  rules.  The  prayer-book  in  use 
had  been  brought  from  abroad  and  was  according 
to  the  Polish  or  Polish- German  ritual.  One  of 
the  greatest  sources  of  confusion  and  abuses 
tolerated  in  the  congregations  was  the  custom  of 
the  many  special  blessings,  the  Mi-sheberakhs  as 
they  were  called,  and  the  selling  of  religious  func- 
tions to  the  highest  bidders,  called  Mitswoth,  i.  e., 
selling  to  one  the  right  to  read  certain  portions  of 
the  law,  to  another  to  carry  the  scroll,  or  torah,  etc. 
Wise  had  brought  with  him  letters  of  introduc- 
tion to  certain  physicians  in  New  York;  upon 
presenting  these  he  was  advised  not  to  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  the  Jews,  but  rather  to  peddle  or 


The  Promised  Land  49 

learn  a  trade.  This  advice  depressed  him  very 
much.  However,  he  resolved  to  present  one 
more  letter  of  introduction,  and  this  was  addressed 
to  Dr.  Max  Lilienthal,  through  whom  he  obtained 
the  first  opportunity  to  officiate  in  America,  and 
who  later,  in  1855,  became  his  colleague  in  Cin- 
cinnati, where  they  remained  friends  until  Lilien- 
thal's  death  in  1882.  In  his  Reminiscences,^ 
Wise  describes  his  first  meeting  with  Lilienthal: 
"In  the  morning,  accordingly,  I  went  to  Eldridge 
Street,  stopped  at  a  small  house,  and  rang  the 
bell  very  timidly.  A  man  in  a  dressing-gown  with 
a  black  velvet  cap  on  his  head  opened  the  door. 
'I  would  like  to  speak  to  Dr.  Lilienthal,'  'I  am 
he;  step  in.'  We  stepped  into  a  rear  room  which 
was  his  library.  'I  came  from  Bohemia;  here  is  a 
letter  from  Dr.  W.,  your  school  friend,  and  here 
are  some  of  my  papers.'  Dr.  Lilienthal  read  the 
letter  and  the  first  of  the  twelve  documents  I  had 
given  him,  then  he  went  to  the  door  and  called, 
'Wife,  bring  coffee  and  cigars,  I  have  received  a 
guest. '  Turning  to  me,  he  gave  me  a  friendly  and 
hearty  Sholem  Alechem,  Peace  be  upon  thee. 
'Hold  up  your  head,  courage,'  cried  he,  'you  are 
the  man,  we  need  you. '  In  short,  Dr.  Lilienthal 
was  the  first  one  to  encourage  me  and  inspire  me 

*  Pages  19-20. 
4 


50  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

with  hope,  and  at  that  time  this  was  of  prime 
importance  and  significance  to  me ....  With- 
in ten  minutes  I  felt  at  home,  and  the  impression 
which  I  received  in  the  Lilienthal  home  perhaps 
decided  my  career  in  America.  Here  I  became 
acquainted  with  Jewish  conditions  and  with  per- 
sons of  the  better  type. " 

Among  those  he  met  were  a  young  lawyer  who 
later  became  a  judge,  several  teachers  and  rabbini- 
cal students,  and  many  prominent  merchants,  one 
of  whom,  J.  D.  Walter,  gave  him  a  letter  of  intro- 
duction to  his  brother-in-law,  an  Albany  merchant. 

At  this  time  Dr.  Lilienthal  was  the  chief  rabbi 
of  three  ultra-orthodox  congregations,  preaching 
every  Satiirday  in  a  different  synagogue.  During 
this  season  of  the  year  the  orthodox  observed,  as 
they  still  do,  the  anniversary  of  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  Tishah  b'ab.  Wise's  tendencies  are 
already  shown  in  his  comments  on  this  service, 
which  he  attended  at  Dr.  Lilienthal's  congregation: 
"But  what  he  said  about  the  season  of  mourning 
had  long  since  lost  significance  for  me  and  I  was 
really  and  truly  moved  to  mournful  feelings,  not 
for  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  but  for  the  dis- 
appearance of  Judaism  in  the  Polish-cabalistical 
rabbinism  and  supernaturalism. "  ^ 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  22. 


The  Promised  Land  51 

About  the  first  of  August,  1846,  Wise  was  intro- 
duced to  Dr.  Leo  Merzbacher,  rabbi  of  the  Re- 
form Congregation  Temple  Emanuel.  Dr.  Merz- 
bacher was  a  learned  and  thoroughly  sincere  man 
who  had  had  sad  experiences  in  New  York,  and 
he  seemed  very  sympathetic  when  Wise  informed 
him  that  he  intended  to  practise  his  calling.  Wise 
added:  "In  case  I  fail  in  this,  I  will  enter  upon 
an  academic  career;  and  if  I  should  not  succeed, 
I  will  work.  I  am  3^oung,  healthy,  active,  and 
have  enjoyed  a  good  education."  "And  do  you 
intend  to  preach  reform?"  Merzbacher  asked. 
"I  can  sacrifice  everything  but  principle,"  was 
the  answer.  "Well,  then,  I  wish  you  luck,"  said 
the  New  York  rabbi.  "That  was  a  sad  blow  for 
me, "  writes  Wise.'  "Later  I  learned  he  received 
two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  per  year  because 
the  congregation  could  not  afford  to  pay  more. 
Such  were  the  prospects  for  the  reform  movement 
in  New  York  in  1846. " 

In  order  to  support  himself  at  this  time.  Wise 
gave  private  lessons  and  spurned  all  suggestions 
that  he  should  embrace  Christianity.  He  un- 
doubtedly would  have  continued  for  some  time 
to  tutor  had  not  Dr.  Lilienthal  sent  him  during 
the  last  week  in  August  to  New  Haven,  Connecti- 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  25. 


52  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

cut,  to  dedicate  a  synagogue.  Wise,  who  had 
refused  several  invitations  to  preach  in  New  York 
City,  willingly  went  to  New  Haven.  The  new 
synagogue  was  located  in  a  hall  of  an  upper  story 
of  a  building.  The  services  were  well  attended  and 
the  young  rabbi  was  cordially  received.  In  the 
New  Haven  Palladium  of  August  29,  1846,  the 
following  account  appears :  ' '  The  hall  in  the  fourth 
story  of  Brewster's  building  was  consecrated  as  a 
Jewish  synagogue.  A  lecture  was  delivered  in 
German  by  Dr.  Wais,  a  rabbi  who  has  but  recently 
arrived  in  this  country.  This  is  spoken  of  by 
those  who  understand  the  language  as  a  most 
excellent  discourse,  and  the  speaker  certainly  in 
his  manner  gave  evidence  of  a  most  perfect  style 
of  oratory."  The  mis-spelling  of  his  name  in- 
duced Wise  to  change  the  spelling  from  the  Ger- 
man "Weis"  to  the  English  "Wise." 

For  his  services  the  rabbi  received  sixty  dollars, 
to  him  a  small  fortune.  Upon  his  return  to  New 
York  Dr.  Lilienthal  informed  him  that  the  fol- 
lowing week  he  could  go  to  Syracuse  to  dedicate 
a  synagogue  there  if  he  chose.  The  offer  was  most 
welcome,  as  he  desired  to  get  away  from  New  York. 
Mr.  Walter  gave  him  a  letter  of  introduction  to 
the  president  of  the  Albany  congregation,  which 
was  without  a  preacher.     He  went  to  Albany  by 


The  Promised  Land  53 

boat  and  was  greatly  impressed  by  the  beauty  and 
the  grandeur  of  the  Hudson.  "I  have  seen  and 
experienced  quite  a  great  deal  in  life,"  he  wrote 
nearly  thirty  years  later,'  "but  I  can  recall  no 
impression  that  can  be  at  all  compared  with  that 
which  I  received  on  that  day.  The  steamer 
seemed  to  be  a  floating  palace,  the  people  higher 
beings,  and  the  Hudson  a  second  Chideqel  flowing 
out  of  the  Garden  of  Eden.  The  lofty  walls  of 
rocks  above  New  York  seemed  to  shut  off  the 
Old  World,  and  the  steep  heights  in  the  vicinity 
of  West  Point  were  for  me  a  mighty  door,  the 
grand  gate  opening  into  the  New  World.  Over- 
come with  awe  and  emotion,  I  could  have  em- 
braced every  mountain,  every  rock." 

On  Saturday,  he  preached  at  Albany  in  Beth 
El  congregation,  but  his  sermon  was  far  above  his 
audience.  Nevertheless  he  was  invited  to  return 
to  conduct  the  holiday  services  for  which  he 
was  promised  one  hundred  dollars.  The  young 
preacher  said  he  would  write  from  Syracuse,  for  he 
wanted  to  go  to  Cincinnati,  having  heard  that 
city  praised  most  highly  by  a  Cincinnatian  he  had 
met  in  New  York.  From  Albany  he  went  by 
train  to  Syracuse.  That  was  his  first  railroad  ride 
in  America.     At  Syracuse  he  remained  longer  than 

^  Reminiscences,  p.  30. 


54  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

he  had  intended,  because  the  synagogue  had  not 
been  completed  on  his  arrival.  His  sojourn  was 
very  valuable  to  him,  and  he  got  a  good  insight 
into  the  Jewish  conditions  of  the  smaller  communi- 
ties. "My  experience  in  New  Haven,  Albany, 
and  Syracuse  were  of  the  most  signal  importance. 
These  German  Jewish  immigrants,  mused  I,  have 
not  lost  their  love  for  Judaism  under  the  influence 
of  their  new  political  and  social  conditions.  Hence 
desire  for  organization.  They  form  congregations, 
build  synagogues,  and  feel  a  longing  for  the  living 
word.  .  .  .  There  are  life  and  energy  in  this 
new  Judaism  whether  it  now  be  conscious  or 
unconscious.  The  people  lack  culture;  they  do 
not  possess  a  true  appreciation  of  the  conditions 
among  which  they  live.  'Tis  well  I  have  found  my 
vocation  and  my  mission."^  During  his  two 
weeks'  stay  at  Syracuse  he  came  into  contact  with 
all  kinds  of  people  and  learned  their  great  faults. 
He  also  thought  over  the  causes  of  his  failure  at 
Albany  and  determined,  if  possible,  to  redeem 
himself,  and  he  succeeded.  He  gives  the  following 
description  of  his  sermon  at  Albany,  the  sermon 
that  induced  Beth  El  congregation  to  elect  him^: 
"When  my  turn  came  I  stepped  to  the  im- 
provised pulpit  (there  were  no  pulpits  in  American 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  37.  ^  Ibid.,  pp.  43-44. 


The  Promised  Land  55 

synagogues  in  those  days,  since  the  congregations 
gave  no  thought  to  employing  preachers)  with 
the  firm  determination  to  move  the  hearts  of  the 
assembled  multitude,  and  I  spoke  like  an  old 
pastor  whose  flock  threatened  to  dissolve.  Hagar 
and  Ishmael  served  as  symbols  for  body  and  soul. 
I  characterized  culture  and  religion  as  bread  and 
water,  and  likened  the  wandering  in  the  wilder- 
ness to  the  course  of  human  life.  'And  she  went 
and  lost  her  way,'  was  the  first  knotty  point. 
Here  I  was  able  to  bring  all  my  weapons  into  play. 
I  passed  in  review  all  the  faults  and  mistakes  of 
all  the  centuries,  and  the  listening  audience  which 
had  never  heard  such  a  flood  of  words  was  com- 
pletely overwhelmed  and  dumbfounded.  There- 
upon followed  the  second  phase,  'And  she  threw 
the  child  under  the  terebinth. '  This  I  applied  to 
the  inner  remorse  of  the  sinner,  and  expatiated 
upon  this  until  the  sobbing  in  the  gallery  (the 
place  in  the  synagogue  set  apart  for  women  who 
were  not  permitted  to  be  seated  with  the  men) 
became  so  audible  that  I  was  compelled  to  stop. 
Finally  I  spoke  of  the  angel  and  the  spring.  This 
I  called  the  voice  of  conscience  and  the  perennial 
font  of  religion,  etc.,  which  unite  mother  and  child 
at  last  in  comfort  and  hope,  and  lead  to  a  beautiful 
future.     I  concluded  with  an  expression  of  the 


56  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

hoped-for  reconciliation  and  brotherhood  of  man- 
kind. As  I  left  the  pulpit  and  glanced  at  the  con- 
gregation I  felt  triumphant,  for  it  seemed  to  me 
I  had  struck  the  right  note  at  this  time." 

He  was  warmly  congratulated  by  the  whole 
congregation,  and  the  next  day  he  preached  at 
another  synagogue.  It  was  evident  that  the 
Beth  El  congregation  wanted  the  eloquent  young 
man,  not  as  rabbi,  but  as  teacher  and  preacher. 
The  distinction  is  hard  to  understand  at  this  day, 
but  in  1846  the  conditions  were  very  different. 
At  that  time  the  rabbis  and  preachers  were  not 
popular,  in  fact  there  was  a  prejudice  against 
them  as  well  as  against  cultured  people  because 
of  their  impracticability.  Then,  too,  only  the 
wealthier  congregations  could  employ  both  a 
rabbi  and  a  cantor.  The  cantor  himself  generally 
opposed  the  election  of  a  rabbi.  The  cantor,  or 
chazan,  was  the  Reverend.  He  was  reader,  cantor, 
teacher,  butcher,  grave-digger,  and  performed  the 
rite  of  circumcision.  When  it  was  suggested  to 
Wise  that  he  should  apply  for  the  position  of 
preacher  and  teacher,  he  refused,  saying:  "If 
you  wish  to  elect  me  you  must  elect  me  as  rabbi. 
This  is  my  province.  I  will  preach  and  open  a 
school.  I  leave  to  you  the  determination  of  the 
amount  of  the  salary,  because  I  do  not  know  how 


The  Promised  Land  57 

much  is  needed  here.  I  will  write  no  petition. 
I  have  never  sought  a  position  and  will  never  do 
so.  "^  After  stating  such  conditions  he  left  for 
New  York  to  rejoin  his  family  from  whom  he  had 
been  absent  nearly  a  month.  On  arriving  home 
he  received  the  welcome  news  that  he  had  been 
elected  unanimously  as  rabbi  of  Beth  El  congre- 
gation of  Albany.  He  left  for  Albany  in  time  to 
officiate  on  the  eve  of  the  Day  of  the  Atonement, 
and  within  a  week  was  followed  by  his  wife  and 
child,  and  the  family  took  up  their  home  at  77 
Ferry  Street.  In  these  days  of  high-salaried 
rabbis  it  may  be  interesting  to  recall  the  fact 
that  Rabbi  Wise's  first  salary  was  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  a  year,  in  addition  he  was  allowed 
nine  dollars  a  year,  for  each  pupil  in  his  school, 
but  he  had  to  bear  the  expenses  of  carrying  on  the 
school.  The  school  soon  flourished,  and  as  the 
public  schools  of  Albany  at  this  time  were  not 
very  good,  the  number  of  pupils  at  Wise's  school 
was  very  large,  increasing  from  seventy-six,  the 
original  enrolment,  to  one  hundred  and  twenty 
in  the  following  spring,  when  Wise's  salary  was 
increased  to  four  hundred  dollars  a  year. 

The  Albany   career   of   Wise   has   been   justly 
characterized  as  the  storm  and  stress  period  of 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  46. 


58  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

his  life,  and  may  be  divided  into  two  periods. 
The  first,  1 846-1 850,  which  covered  the  beginning 
of  the  great  reform  movement,  including  the 
efforts  to  establish  an  American  Ritual,  techni- 
cally called  "Minhag  America,"  and  the  first 
efforts  for  the  union  of  American  Hebrew  Con- 
gregations, ended  with  the  break  with  his  congre- 
gation in  September,  1850.  The  second  period, 
1 850-1 854,  begins  with  the  organization  of  the 
new  Congregation  Anshe  Emeth  (Men  of  Truth), 
and  deals  with  his  further  efforts  for  reform,  the 
beginning  of  his  editorial,  literary,  and  historical 
work,  and  ends  in  April,  1854,  when  he  left  Albany 
to  enter  upon  his  duties  as  rabbi  of  Congregation 
Bene  Yeshurun  of  Cincinnati,  having  been  elected 
to  that  position  in  October,  1853. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE    FIRST    ALBANY    PERIOD — RABBI   OF  BETH    EL 

CONGREGATION 
I 846-1 850 

Prior  to  1848  two-thirds  of  all  the  Israelites  of 
Albany,  and  also  of  America,  were  unable  to  read 
English.  Their  Judaism  consisted  of  a  number  of 
inherited  customs  and  observances.  Most  of  them 
did  not  observe  the  Sabbath,  and  when  away  from 
home  did  not  observe  the  dietary  laws,  or  put  on 
the  phylacteries  in  the  morning,  "The  laying  of 
the  t'fillin,"  as  it  was  called.  While  at  home, 
however,  they  insisted  that  the  service  must  be 
conducted  in  the  strictest  orthodox  manner,  and, 
naturally,  as  the  people  came  from  various  coun- 
tries there  were  as  many  different  customs  or 
rituals  as  countries  whence  they  came.  Thus 
there  were  Portuguese,  German,  and  Polish  cus- 
toms. 

This  divergence  of  nationalities  resulted  in  a 
veritable  Babel.     Wise,   speaking  of  this,   says': 

^Reminiscences,  pp.  70-71. 

59 


6o  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

"Hence  arose  a  Babel-like  confusion.  Blows 
passed  in  a  certain  synagogue  in  New  York  at  the 
service  on  the  eve  of  the  Day  of  Atonement  (Kol. 
Nidre)  because  one  party  insisted  that  at  the  close 
of  the  services  a  certain  hymn,  Adon  01am,  be 
sung  first,  and  then  the  conventional  concluding 
hymn,  the  Yigdal,  while  others  insisted  on  the 
opposite.  Rudeness  goes  hand  in  hand  with  ig- 
norance. A  fight  at  the  congregational  meeting, 
the  escape  of  the  president  by  a  window  .  .  . 
lengthy  and  unprofitable  altercations  in  place  of 
debates,  such  things  were  common  occurrences 
not  only  in  Albany  but  everywhere.  ...  In 
addition  to  this,  the  congregation  looked  upon 
those  who  ministered  to  it  as  mere  hirelings,  ser- 
vants; the  rabbi,  the  cantor,  the  sexton,  servants, 
etc.,  were  engaged  and  paid  by  the  year  or  half- 
year.  It  was  understood  that  he  had  to  be  the 
servant  and  lickspittle,  buffoon  and  menial,  or 
else  he  was  dismissed. " 

The  congregation  was  under  the  domination  of 
the  president,  "Parnass, "  and  he  ruled  with  the 
power  of  a  political  boss,  and  so  autocratic  was 
his  authority  that  no  sermons  were  permitted 
without  his  consent. 

Wise  recognized  from  the  beginning  that  it 
would  be  necessary  for  him  to  take  a  bold  stand 


The  First  Albany  Period  6i 

to  bring  order  out  of  chaos,  to  make  the  synagogue 
respected  by  the  sister  churches,  and  to  introduce 
order  and  decorum,  not  only  within  the  synagogue, 
but  without.  Speaking  of  himself  at  this  time, 
he  says':  "Now,  I  came  among  these  people  with 
a  consciousness  of  independence  and  mastery 
which  never  deserts  me,  and  with  ideas  on  religion, 
political  and  social  conditions  so  radically  differ- 
ent from  theirs,  that  struggle  and  ill  feeling  were 
bound  to  ensue.  True,  I  might  have  acted 
more  skilfully  and  discreetly,  but  being  by  nature 
fiery,  earnest,  and  fearless,  I  gave  expression  reck- 
lessly to  all  my  principles  and  views,  for  which  the 
majority  of  my  hearers  could  by  no  possible 
manner  have  been  ripe  and  ready.  In  addition  to 
this,  I  had  the  peculiarity  of  pointing  out  vices, 
faults,  and  weaknesses  so  sharply  and  vividly  that 
in  every  sermon  someone  felt  that  he  had  been 
attacked,  and  harboured  ill  will  toward  me  on 
that  account.  Old  conditions  had  to  be  over- 
come and  new  ones  had  to  be  created,  and  anti- 
quated abuses  had  to  be  corrected."  Among 
the  faults  and  vices  preached  against  were  the 
non-observance  of  the  Sabbath,  card-playing,  the 
frequenting  of  the  saloons,  and  giving  of  false 
testimony.     Wise  realized  immediately  that  if  he 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  72. 


62  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

was  to  hold  his  congregation  and  exert  an  influence 
upon  them  it  would  be  necessary  to  improve  the 
service  and  make  it  more  attractive  and  intelligible 
to  the  young  people. 

In  October,  1846,  about  a  month  and  a  half 
after  Wise  had  taken  charge  at  Albany,  Dr.  Max 
LiHenthal,  of  New  York,  suggested  that  there  be 
organized  a  synagogal  authoritative  body  to  be 
called  by  the  old  Jewish  name,  Beth  Din,  a  court 
of  learned  men  who  decided  ritual  questions.  He 
invited  Wise,  of  Albany,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Felsenheld, 
and  a  Mr.  Kohlmeyer,  a  rabbinical  student,  to 
join  him.  Although  the  name  Beth  Din  was  not 
pleasing  to  Wise,  nevertheless,  he  gladly  co-oper- 
ated with  the  others.  At  the  first  meeting  in  New 
York  it  was  decided  that  LiHenthal  should  prepare 
a  history  for  Jewish  schools,  Felsenheld  a  cate- 
chism, Kohlmeyer  a  Hebrew  grammar,  and  Wise  an 
American  ritual  or  Minhag  America.  The  Beth 
Din  was  to  re-assemble  in  the  spring  of  1847.  At 
this  preHminary  meeting  in  October,  1846,  Wise 
realized  that  the  only  way  reform  could  be  ac- 
compHshed  was  by  introducing  reforms..  "The 
act,"  he  said,^  "must  accompany  the  spoken 
word,  because  the  general  people  understand  the 
act  better  than  the  clearest  word.  " 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  50. 


The  First  Albany  Period  63 

Dr.  Lilienthal  had  received  from  Vienna  a  copy 
of  the  Cantor  Sulzer's  "Sons  of  Zion,"  but  was 
not  permitted  to  use  it  in  the  chief  synagogue. 
Wise  purchased  it  and  resolved  to  introduce  it 
in  Albany.  The  first  step  necessary  was  the 
organization  of  a  choir;  so,  with  the  assistance 
of  a  violinist,  he  first  trained  a  mixed  choir,  which 
was  ready  to  take  part  in  the  service  in  the  follow- 
ing spring.  The  weekly  sermon  and  the  choir  led 
to  the  second  reform :  the  excision  of  certain  tradi- 
tional Hebrew  prayers  from  the  service.  These 
were  the  liturgical  poems,  Piutim,  the  lamentations, 
Quinnoth,  and  the  supplications,  S'lichoth.  The 
trustees  readily  agreed  that  this  change  should  be 
effective  except  on  the  two  great  holidays  New 
Year  and  the  Day  of  Atonement.  "Poor  as  the 
choir  was,"  writes  Wise,'  "it  still  was  the  im- 
mediate cause  of  our  getting  rid  of  all  the  medi- 
aeval rubbish  at  once.  In  this  manner  synagogal 
reform  began  in  1847.  True,  there  was  opposition, 
but  the  opposition  was  outvoted,  although  it  was 
impossible  to  silence  it. " 

Among  the  orthodox  synagogues  to  this  day 
prevail  the  customs,  the  Mitzwoth,  the  selling  to 
the  highest  bidder  of  certain  religious  functions 
connected  with  the  reHgious  worship,  and  Shnoder- 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  54. 


64  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

ing,  calling  people  to  the  pulpit  to  have  read  to 
them  portions  of  The  Law,  Thorah,  for  which 
privilege  various  sums  of  money  were  donated 
to  the  congregation,  followed  by  the  Mi-sheber- 
akhs,  the  pronouncing  of  special  blessings  in 
exchange  for  donations.  Wise  aroused  opposition 
by  modifying  the  manner  of  observance  of  these 
customs.  Instead  of  publicly  calHng  out  the  names 
of  the  successful  persons,  cards  with  the  names 
of  such  as  were  to  be  called  were  passed  around 
and  the  number  of  special  blessings  for  each  person 
at  one  service  was  limited  to  two. 

During  the  winter  of  1846- 1847  Wise  worked 
very  hard.  He  taught  at  his  school  six  hours 
daily  and  gave  singing  lessons  three  hours  a  week. 
He  also  read  and  studied  English  two  hours  daily, 
and  listened  to  two  English  sermons  every  Sunday. 
In  addition  to  this  work  and  his  regular  congrega- 
tional duties,  he  applied  himself  so  industriously 
to  the  assigned  task  of  preparing  an  American 
ritual  that  he  had  completed  it  by  April,  1847. 
At  that  time  he  went  to  New  York  to  meet  his 
colleagues,  but  the  meeting  was  a  great  disap- 
pointment. Kohlmeyer  had  gone  to  New  Orleans 
and  neither  Lilienthal  nor  Felsenheld  had  finished 
the  portion  of  the  work  assigned  to  him.  A  writer 
in  the  Occident  of  May,  1847,  gives  the  report  of 


The  First  Albany  Period  65 

this  last  meeting  of  the  Beth  Din.  He  says: 
"Rabbi  Wise  then  proposed  a  Minhag  America 
for  Divine  Service.  He  had  been  charged  with 
such  a  work,  because  experience  teaches  that  in 
most  places  different  congregations  are  set  up  and 
the  strength  of  the  Israelites  is  divided  because  the 
emigrant  brings  his  own  Minhag  from  his  home, 
and  the  German  will  not  give  way  to  the  Polish, 
nor  he  to  the  English,  nor  the  latter  to  the  Por- 
tuguese. Such  cause  for  dissension  would  be 
obviated  by  a  Minhag  America,  which  would 
promote  the  harmonious  development  of  the 
young  congregations.  The  project  of  the  Minhag 
as  introduced  by  Dr.  Wise  treats  of  the  Tephil- 
lah  (prayer-book)  according  to  the  Din,  that  is, 
religious  authority,  upon  scientific  principles  and 
the  demand  of  the  times,  and  shows  plainly  that 
the  new  Alinhag  must  be  based  on  these  three 
pillars  to  be  entirely  satisfactory.  The  plan  was 
read  to  the  meeting  and  a  resolution  was  passed 
to  lay  the  whole  question  over  until  the  next 
meeting  in  order  to  give  the  members  time  for 
deliberation  and  they  were  not  to  give  their 
opinions  until  then,  the  question  being  one  of 
paramount    magnitude."       It    was    likewise    re- 


'  Occident,  vol.  v.,  p.  109. 
5 


66  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

solved  that  the  next  meeting  should  be  held  at 
Albany. 

Wise  returned  to  Albany  with  a  heavy  heart  and 
realized  that  there  would  be  no  further  meeting 
of  the  Beth  Din.  He  received  little  sympathy 
when  he  complained  to  his  friends.  They  ad- 
vised him  "to  pursue  practical  aims."  "After 
I  arrived  home,"  he  says,  "I  embodied  my  plan 
in  two  English  lectures  which  I  delivered  to  a  small 
circle  of  friends,  because  I  did  not  wish  to  submit 
them  to  the  congregation.  .  .  .  One  of  my 
friends  asked  me  for  the  manuscript.  I  gave  it 
to  him,  thinking  he  wished  to  read  it.  He,  how- 
ever, sent  the  whole  thing  to  Isaac  Leeser  (editor 
of  the  Occident,  the  only  Jewish  paper  in  America, 
published  in  Philadelphia).  Before  I  had  given 
any  further  thought  to  the  manuscript,  I  saw  it, 
to  my  astonishment,  published  in  the  Occident 
accompanied  by  some  notes  from  the  pen  of  the 
incensed  editor. " ' 

Wise  in  his  lecture  said:  "We  have  no  reason  to 
pray  for  the  restoration  of  the  sacrifices,  wherefore 
all  prayers  having  allusion  to  such  restoration 
ought  to  have  no  place  in  our  literature."  Leeser, 
at  that  time  the  leader  of  the  orthodox  Jews  in 
America,    commented    as   follows    on    the   plan: 

'  Reminiscences,  pp.  55-56. 


The  First  Albany  Period  67 

"We  must  emphatically  object  to  any  such  form 
of  prayer  which  as  proposed  by  Dr.  Wise  should 
exclude  the  petitions  for  the  rebuilding  of  the 
temple  and  the  re-establishment  of  the  sacrifice.  "^ 
A  correspondence  took  place  between  Wise  and 
Leeser.  The  editor  of  the  Occident  looked  upon 
progress  in  Judaism  as  unjustifiable  and  reform 
as  proposed  by  the  German  rabbis  in  their  several 
conferences  as  destructive  of  Judaism.  "But 
we  say  in  all  candour, "  he  wrote  later,  "that  any 
synagogue  reformation  except  such  a  one  as  looks 
to  raising  the  standard  of  decorum  and  propriety 
cannot  be  supported  by  us  in  our  journal."^ 
This  controversy  w4th  Leeser  had  a  decided  influ- 
ence on  the  young  rabbi.  He  immediately  realized 
that  much  could  be  accomplished  by  one  if  he  had 
a  healthy  body,  a  cheerful  disposition,  and  the 
desire  and  capacity  for  work.  He  also  realized 
that  he  must  acquire  a  clear  and  virile  English 
style  and  resolved  to  study  English  during  the 
summer.  In  this  work  he  was  assisted  by  prom- 
inent and  learned  citizens  of  Albany.  Among 
those  who  cheerfully  and  willingly  assisted  him 
were  the  Hon.  Bradford  R.  Wood,  a  member  of 
Congress  (i  845-1 846)  and  later  Alinister  to  Den- 
mark, a  lawyer  spoken  of  in  Wise's  Remifiiscences 

^Occident,  vol.  v.,  p.  158.  'Ibid.,  vol.  vi.,  p.  538. 


V. 


68  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

as  "Chief  Justice  Wood,"  and  Amos  Dean,  Pro- 
fessor of  Medical  Jurisprudence  in  the  law  school 
of  Albany,  New  York,  and  afterwards  Chancellor 
of  the  University  of  Iowa.  Wise  spent  the  hours 
he  set  aside  for  the  daily  study  of  English  at  the 
state  library,  and  the  library  of  the  Young  Men's 
Association.  He  was  introduced  to  Amos  Dean 
by  the  son  of  a  neighbour  hazan.  After  he 
became  acquainted  with  Wood  and  Dean,  both 
of  whom  were  progressive  young  men,  he  spent 
much  time  with  them.  Shortly  thereafter  he  de- 
cided to  deliver  three  lectures  in  English  in  answer 
to  the  weekly  attack  made  upon  the  Jews  and 
Judaism  by  a  Baptist  minister.  The  subject 
of  these  lectures  was  "The  Messiah."  In  the 
course  of  the  lectures  Wise  repudiated  the  idea  of 
a  personal  Messiah.  In  December  of  1847,  Wise 
made  effective  use  of  his  studies  in  English. 
About  this  time  American  orthodox  Christianity 
was  making  decided  efforts  to  secure  converts, 
and  the  English  Society  for  the  Conversion  of 
Jews  had  its  agents  everywhere,  supported  by 
nearly  all  the  Protestant  clergymen.  The  move- 
ment was  especially  distasteful  to  Wise  because 
the  preachers  "aroused  and  fomented  a  sentiment 
of  pity  for  the  poor  persecuted  and  blinded  Jews.  " 
As  the  Jews  were  unable  to  read  the  tracts,  the 


The  First  Albany  Period  69 

missionaries    did    not    accomplish    much.     Wise 
paid  little  heed  to  the  conversionists  until  it  was 
announced   that   "The   Rev.    Rabbi   Cohn   from 
Jerusalem,"  a  missionary  of  the  London  Society 
for  the    Improvement    of   the   condition   of   the 
Jews,  would  speak  at  a  church  for  the  purpose  of 
forming  a  branch  of  the  London  Society.     As  the 
lower   floor   was   reserved   for   the   clergy,   Wise 
resolved  to  attend  the  meeting.     He  gives  the 
following  vivid  description  of  the   meeting ':    "I 
took  a  seat  near  the  pulpit,  and  when  the  two 
Unitarian  and  Universalist  ministers  entered  we 
agreed  that  they  would  second  anything  that  I 
would  propose,  and  I  for  my  part  promised  to 
second    their    proposals.     The    pious    men    and 
women  came  in  large  numbers,  and  the  church 
was  entirely  filled.     Dr.  Wykoff,  the  pastor  of  the 
church,   in  company  with  other  prominent  per- 
sonages, came  at  eight  o'clock.     Among  them  was 
a   little,    dark,    well-fed    man    with    small    black 
eyes.     The  meeting  opened  with  prayer  and  song. 
.    .    .     Dr.  Wykoff  was  elected  chairman  of  the 
meeting.     Wykoff  now  noticed  me  sitting  opposite 
the  pulpit.     He  had  to  explain  the  object  of  the 
meeting.     He  coughs  and  stammers,  and  some- 
how or  other  could  not  do  it  successfully,  for  he 

'  Reminiscences,  pp.  66-67. 


70  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

and  I  were  old  friends.  At  last,  however,  the 
words  were  out  and  the  unfortunate  Jew  was 
spoken  of  pityingly  in  the  stock  phrases.  He 
finished  and  said,  'Does  any  one  wish  to  speak  on 
the  subject?'  The  intention  was  at  this  point 
to  introduce  the  missionary  who  was  to  speak  his 
piece,  but  I  anticipated  him.  *I  ask  for  the  floor, 
Mr.  Chairman. '  WykofT  made  a  wry  face,  but 
he  could  not  refuse  me  the  floor.  Nor  did  I  wait 
for  his  decision,  but  began  to  speak  at  once.  It 
was  the  first  time  that  the  voice  of  a  Jew  had  been 
heard  on  this  question,  and  I  could  count  with 
assurance  on  the  undivided  attention  of  the 
audience.  I  surrended  myself  completely  to  my 
emotions.  I  analysed  the  subject  thoroughly 
from  the  moral  standpoint.  I  chastised  the  covet- 
ous affectation  and  the  hypocritical  sympathy 
of  piety  with  all  of  the  powers  at  my  command. 
I  refused  determinedly  in  the  name  of  the  Jews 
all  monetary  support,  because  we  ourselves  pro- 
vide for  our  poor,  our  widows  and  our  orphans, 
and  rear  our  children.  ...  I  had  determined 
to  treat  the  subject  from  the  theological  stand- 
point, but  the  repeated  applause  from  the  gallery 
convinced  me  that  it  was  not  necessarv  to  do  so.  I 
contented  myself  with  stating  that  I  was  prepared 
to   prove   that   the   Jew   could   be   converted   to 


The  First  Albany  Period  71 

Christianity  neither  by  gold  nor  by  cunning, 
neither  by  persecution,  nor  by  force,  but  that  I 
considered  it  unnecessary  to  do  so  at  any  length 
at  present.  I  then  moved  that  the  meeting 
adjourn  si7ie  die.  The  Unitarian  minister  arose 
with  solemn  mien  and  seconded  my  motion.  The 
chairman  could  not  do  otherwise  than  put  the 
motion.  ...  A  rousing  aye  thundered  from 
the  gallery ....  Wykoff,  happy  to  be  released 
from  his  uncomfortable  predicament,  declared 
the  meeting  adjourned.  The  play  was  over,  the 
audience  went  home,  their  faces  a  yard  long.  No 
similar  meeting  ever  again  took  place  in  Albany, 
and  whenever  a  missionary  did  come  to  town  Dr. 
Wykoff  brought  him  to  me  that  I  might  explain 
matters  to  him." 

Wise's  bold  stand,  as  well  as  his  reforms  and  his 
insistence  on  the  strict  observance  of  the  Sabbath, 
made  him  many  enemies  in  his  congregation.  He, 
however,  calmly  piirsued  the  even  tenor  of  his  way. 
About  the  same  time  he  met  Isaac  Leeser,  the 
editor  of  the  Occident,  a  Jewish  monthly  published 
at  Philadelphia.  Leeser  was  -born  in  Germany, 
but  came  to  America  when  he  was  a  young  man 
and  soon  became  proficient  in  English.  He  was  an 
ultra-orthodox,  and  before  coming  to  Philadelphia 
had  officiated  as  a  cantor  at  Richmond,  Virginia. 


72  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

In  1843  he  began  the  publication  of  the  Occident, 
a  monthly  magazine,  and  continued  its  editor  until 
his  death  in  1868.  Before  1850  very  few  German 
Jews  in  America  could  read  English  easily,  and 
therefore  few  of  them  read  the  Occident,  the  cir- 
culation of  which  was  confined  to  the  EngHsh, 
Polish,  and  Dutch  Jews  of  this  country.  Among 
the  contributors  to  the  Occidejit  was  a  young 
clergyman,  M.  R.  Miller,  who  wrote  under  his 
initials,  "M.  R.  M.,"  and  also  under  the  nom 
de  plume,  "Talmid."  In  his  articles  in  the  Occi- 
dent he  "claimed  that  the  foundation  of  Judaism 
lay  in  Christian  mysticism."  These  articles 
called  forth  much  criticism  against  Leeser  and  he 
came  to  Albany  to  request  Wise  to  answer  them. 
The  meeting  between  the  reform  Rabbi  Wise  and 
the  orthodox  champion  Isaac  Leeser  was  most 
cordial.  Wise  shortly  thereafter  contributed  sev- 
eral articles  in  answer  to  "Talmid"  under  the 
title,  "Rejoinders  to  Talmid's  Thoughts  on 
Deuteronomy,  Chapter  xxx;  6."^  In  these  arti- 
cles Wise  bases  his  arguments  on  the  "rational 
Maimonidean  standpoint."  He  was,  however, 
conscious  of  their  defect.  "When  I  read  my 
articles  in  cold  type  I  found  them  very  poor. 
The  thought  did  not  seem  compact  enough,  and 

'  Occident,  vol.  v.,  p.  353. 


The  First  Albany  Period  73 

was  very  often  obscure;  the  logic  appeared  faulty 
and  the  style  insipid.  I  regretted  exceedingly 
that  I  appeared  in  public  print.  Much  as  I  was 
gratified  in  having  obtained  a  hearing  for  the 
rational  standpoint,  I  was  none  the  less  mortified 
by  my  scribbling."^ 
'  Reminiscences,  p.  8i. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  FIRST  CALL  FOR  A  UNION  AMONG  ISRAELITES 

The  year  1848  played  as  important  a  part  in 
the  career  of  Isaac  Mayer  Wise  and  in  the  history 
of  American  Judaism  as  it  did  in  the  history  of 
Continental  Europe. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  the  news  of  the  politi- 
cal revolutions  in  France,  Germany,  Austria,  and 
Italy  reached  this  country.  Wise,  who  had  left 
his  native  land  because  of  the  monarchical  tyr- 
anny, was  greatly  affected  by  those  sudden  popular 
uprisings.  "The  months  of  February  and  March, 
1848,  agitated  me  to  such  a  degree  that  it  was 
long  before  I  returned  to  a  state  of  normal  calm. 
I  became  more  restless  and  discontented  than 
I  had  ever  been  before.  One  Sabbath  afternoon 
I  sat  in  the  synagogue  in  the  midst  of  my  chosen 
friends  and  delivered  them  a  private  address  as 
I  often  did.  One  of  my  friends  came  in  and  whis- 
pered in  my  ear,  '  Paris  is  in  a  state  of  revolution ; 
Louis  Philippe  has  abdicated. '     I  jumped  up  elec- 

74 


First  Call  for  a  Union  75 

trified,  repeated  the  portentous  words,  rushed  out 
towards  the  post-office  where  the  bulletins  were 
usually  posted  and  found  the  report  confirmed. 
...  I  ran  from  one  newspaper  office  to  another, 
but  none  had  received  any  particulars.  We  had 
to  wait  fourteen  days  for  further  news.  .  .  . 
Those  days  were  as  years  of  torment  and  uncer- 
tainty for  me.  I  had  expected  the  proclamation  of 
a  European  republic  and  made  preparation  to  go 
to  Europe  at  once.  Upon  the  arrival  of  one  im- 
portant news  item  after  another,  the  establish- 
ment of  the  French  Republic,  the  revolution  in 
Vienna,  Berlin,  Hungary,  Italy,  etc.,  I  felt  pa- 
triotic for  the  first  time.  *  Back  to  the  old  home. ' 
This  word  sounded  within  me  mightily."' 

He  delivered  an  address  at  a  public  meeting 
called  to  celebrate  the  founding  of  "Universal 
Republic  and  the  Brotherhood  of  Man."  He 
recognized  in  the  revolution  the  struggle  of 
humanity  against  the  stupid  and  stupefying 
element,  and  therefore  his  sympathy  was  greatly 
excited.  Anxious  as  he  was  to  go,  he  remained 
upon  the  advice  of  his  friends,  and  on  account  of 
the  unwillingness  of  his  wife  to  return  with  two 
baby  girls.  And  it  was  well  that  he  did  not  return. 
"  I  probably  would  have  been  lost  in  the  contests  of 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  8i. 


76  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

1848  and  1849,  for  I  lacked  tact  and  moderation, 
but  I  could  not  comprehend  this  at  the  time  and 
I  passed  through  a  severe  struggle."^ 

He  was  then  corresponding  with  Isaac  Leeser 
for  the  purpose  of  formulating  a  plan  to  bring 
about  a  union  of  American  Israelites.  There  were 
at  that  time  six  Jewish  schools  in  America,  lo- 
cated in  New  York,  Baltimore,  Cincinnati,  and 
Albany.  "The  school  system  in  general  was  in  a 
deplorable  condition.  Religious  instruction  was 
imparted  one  hour  in  the  week  by  women.  Leeser 
furnished  the  text -books,  all  ultra-orthodox.  There 
were  no  Jewish  charities  with  the  exception  of 
several  decaying  associations,  and  two  societies  in 
New  York.  There  was  no  provision  for  widows 
and  orphans,  no  hospitals.  In  brief,  the  American 
Jews  had  not  one  public  institution  except  the 
synagogue.  It  was  perfectly  evident  to  me  that 
Judaism  would  have  no  future  in  America  unless 
mighty  upheavals  accompanied  by  constructive 
action  would  arouse  the  better  element  into  action 
and  awaken  and  attract  the  thoughtless  and  the 
indifferent,  so  that  it  would  become  reconciled 
with  the  spirit  of  the  age  and  the  opinions  preva- 
lent in  the  new  fatherland."^ 

Leeser  was  in  sympathy  with  the  movement, 

>     '  Reminiscences,  p.  84.  'Ibid.,  pp.  85-86. 


First  Call  for  a  Union  77 

and  besides  placing  the  Occident  at  the  disposal 
of  Dr.  Wise,  he,  himself,  wrote  strong  articles 
advocating  the  project. 

As  early  as  October,  1848,^  in  an  editorial  in  the 
Occident  on  "Association,"  Leeser  speaks  of  the 
necessity  of  union,  and  requests  New  York  to  take 
the  lead  before  large  masses  are  put  in  motion. 
"Could  not  a  meeting  of  elected  members  of 
various  congregations  be  held  as  a  friendly  re- 
union?" he  asks.  "This  idea  was  first  broached 
to  us  by  the  learned  Rabbi  of  Albany,  Dr.  Isaac 
M.  Wise;  he  wishes  to  see  ministers  West  and  East 
meet  and  exchange  ideas."  The  editor  then  calls 
on  ministers  to  meet,  and  requests  them  to  send 
their  names  to  Dr.  Wise,  and  he  also  asks  Dr. 
Wise  to  give  his  views. 

In  the  December,  1848,^  number  of  the  Occident 
appears  the  famous  call  of  Dr.  Wise,  addressed 
"To  the  Ministers  and  other  Israelites. "  This  im- 
portant document  begins  as  follows:  "To  my 
Brother  Israelites  in  North  America,  I  call  in  the 
Name  of  my  God.  Be  firm  and  let  us  strengthen 
each  other  in  behalf  of  our  people.  The  Rev. 
Editor  of  this  periodical  has  granted  me  the  favour 
to  give  publicity  to  my  views  about  the  association 

'  Occident,  vol.  vi.,  pp.  313  at  321. 
^  Ibid.,  vol.  vi.,  pp.  431-435. 


78  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

of  Israelitish  congregations  in  North  America  to 
produce  one  sublime  and  grand  end  to  defend  and 
maintain  our  sacred  faith  to  the  glory  of  God  and 
for  the  benefit  of  Israel  and  all  mankind.  Breth- 
ren, though  I  am  a  stranger  among  you,  un- 
known and  unimportant,  I  make  use  of  the  Rev. 
Editor's  permission  to  express  publicly  my  views 
on  this  important  subject.  It  is  one  of  the  holy 
demands  of  our  religion  to  walk  in  the  ways  of  God. 
God  is  a  unity.  Wherefore  all  mankind  will  one 
day  be  united  for  one  great  end,  to  worship  in 
truth  the  Most  High,  to  adore  His  Holy  Name 
with  humanity  and  purity.  Then  will  also  be  ful- 
filled that  God's  name  will  be  one.  To  bring 
about  this  sublime  unity  God  has  selected  the 
people  of  Israel.  Wherefore  we  may  justly  say 
our  cause  is  the  cause  of  mankind.  Now,  in  order 
to  fulfil  our  sacred  mission,  to  send  our  important 
message  to  mankind  it  behooves  us  to  be  united 
as  one  man,  to  be  linked  together  by  the  ties  of 
equal  views  concerning  religious  questions,  by 
uniformity  in  our  sacred  customs,  in  our  form  of 
worship  and  religious  education.  We  ought  to 
have  a  uniform  system  for  our  schools,  synagogues, 
benevolent  societies,  for  all  of  our  religious  in- 
stitutions. Let  us  now  direct  our  attention  to  the 
country  where  we  live  and  the  circumstances  in 


First  Call  for  a  Union  79 

which  we  are  placed.  The  majority  of  our  con- 
congregations  in  this  country  have  been  estab- 
Hshed  but  a  few  years,  they  have  been  founded  and 
are  governed  for  the  greater  part  by  men  of  no 
considerable  knowledge  of  our  religion,  and  gener- 
ally of  no  particular  zeal  for  our  cause.  This 
naturally  produces  an  enormous  amount  of  in- 
difference and  each  congregation  pursues  its  own 
way,  has  its  own  customs  and  mode  of  worship, 
its  own  way  of  thinking  about  religious  questions, 
from  which  cause  it  then  results  that  one  Jew  is 
a  stranger  in  the  synagogue  of  the  other  Jew.  It 
is  a  pity  to  observe  that  any  man  who  is  so  happy 
as  to  have  a  license  to  slaughter,  from  some  un- 
known person,  can  become  a  minister  of  a  con- 
gregation and  the  teacher  of  the  youth  without 
any  proof  of  his  knowledge  or  religion  and  in  the 
absence  of  any  evidence  of  conduct  as  a  Jew.  I 
will  be  silent  about  the  whole  casuistic  theology 
and  ask  only  the  community  at  large.  What  will 
become  of  our  synagogue?  What  of  our  youth? 
You  see  we  have  no  system  for  our  worship,  nor 
for  our  ministry  and  schools,  and  we  are  therefore 
divided  in  as  many  fragments  as  there  are  congre- 
gations in  North  America.  It  is  lamentable,  but 
true,  that  if  we  do  not  unite  ourselves  betimes  to 
devise  a  practicable  system  for  the  ministry  and 


So  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

religious  education  at  large,  if  we  do  not  take  care 
that  better  educated  men  fill  the  pulpit  and  the 
schoolmaster's  chair,  if  we  do  not  stimulate  all  the 
congregations  to  establish  good  schools  and  to 
institute  a  reform  in  their  synagogues  on  modern 
Jewish  principles,  the  house  of  the  Lord  will  be 
desolate  or  nearly  so  in  less  than  ten  years.  It 
needs  no  prophetic  spirit  to  read  this  horrible 
future  in  the  present  circumstances.  I  lay  down 
these  lines  before  the  throne  of  history  as  a  solemn 
protest  against  the  spirit  of  separate  action  and  of 
indifferentism,  which  has  taken  hold  on  so  many 
noble  minds  of  our  brethren,  and  I  proclaim  before 
the  world,  before  the  present  and  future,  my 
sincere  conviction  that  something  must  be  done 
to  defend  and  maintain  our  sacred  faith.  Nor  is  it 
too  late.  Everything  can  be  done  if  we  are  united 
before  God." 

The  appeal  then  continues  and  sets  forth  reasons 
why  ministers  and  "learned  laymen"  should  unite 
to  bring  about  the  desired  union. 

The  eloquent  rabbi  then  calls  on  Rev.  Drs. 
LiHenthal,  Kohlmeyer,  Merzbacher,  the  Revs. 
Isaacs  and  Felsenheld  "not  to  be  the  last  ones  in 
offering  their  views. "  "I  pray  them  to  assist  my 
weak  voice  and  call  on  all  Israel. ' '  The  concluding 
paragraph  of  this  eloquent,  stirring,  and  remark- 


First  Call  for  a  Union  8i 

able  address  which  outUnes  the  program  of  Wise's 
work  in  American  Judaism,  viz.,  a  union  of  con- 
gregations, a  college  to  educate  ministers,  and  a 
conference  of  rabbis,  concludes  as  follows:  "And 
may  God  the  Great  Father  of  all  unite  and  bless 
the  house  of  Israel!  May  he  enlighten  all  men 
with  the  shining  light  of  truth,  be  gracious  to  all 
who  seek  Him,  and  be  merciful  to  all  who  have  for- 
saken him.     Amen. " 

The  editor,  Leeser,  comments  as  follows:  "With- 
out endorsing  beforehand  all  that  this  gifted  son 
of  Israel  has  said  in  his  address,  we  beg  leave  to 
second  earnestly  his  ideas  about  the  necessity  of 
a  thorough  union  of  Israelites  residing  on  this 
continent."^ 

The  Occident  pubHshed  during  the  first  months 
of  1849  many  communications  on  this  subject, 
and  in  the  March  number^  prints  the  circular  sent 
to  the  various  congregations  setting  forth  the 
reasons  for  the  union,  i.e.,  existence  of  evils, 
remedy,  and  plan  of  organization.  These  are: 
(i)  Want  of  proper  concert;  (2)  Teachers  lack 
proper  qualifications;  (3)  Want  of  good  schools; 
(4)  No  knowledge  of  history  and  religion;  (5) 
No  authority  to  which  to  refer  questions  of  doubt; 
(6)  No  means  to  instruct  poor  children;  (7)  Want 

I  Occident,  vol.  vi.,  pp.  435-436.  '  Ibid.,  p.  581. 


82  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

of  proper  devotion  in  homes  and  synagogues. 
The  remedy  is:  (i)  Union  of  congregations  by 
delegates;  (2)  Education  of  youth;  (3)  EstabHsh- 
ment  of  schools;  (4)  Discussion  of  subjects  pre- 
sented by  congregations.  Plan  of  organization: 
meeting  of  delegates  at  New  York,  each  congrega- 
tion to  send  one  delegate;  if  more  than  one,  to 
have  unit  vote,  and  convention  to  meet  when- 
ever delegates  representing  twenty  congregations 
attend. 

Wise  immediately  began  the  campaign  for  union ; 
in  lecture  and  by  pen  he  sought  to  influence  the 
congregations  to  appoint  delegates.  In  the  March 
number  of  the  Occident  ^  he  writes  in  answer  to  the 
accusation  of  being  an  agitator,  a  reformer,  and 
an  offlce  seeker:  "I  will  never  accept  a  salaried 
office  from  this  convention ;  I  will  not  give  up  the 
plan.  You  aver  that  I  am  a  reformer  to  prejudice 
the  people  against  a  sound  plan.  To  be  sure  I 
am  a  reformer  as  much  as  our  age  requires,  be- 
cause I  am  convinced  that  none  can  stop  the 
stream  of  time;  none  can  check  the  swift  wheels 
of  the  age ;  but  I  always  have  the  Halacha  for  my 
basis;  I  never  sanction  a  reform  against  the  Din." 
He  then  urges  his  opponents  to  send  delegates  to 
oppose  him  if  he  is  a  "reformer. "     "  We  will  go  on 

^  Occident,  vol.  vi.  p.  614. 


First  Call  for  a  Union  83 

and  erect  a  memorable  monument  in  the  history 
of  Israel  and  bring  it  about  that  our  children  and 
grandchildren  may  still  look  upon  it  with  con- 
fidence; that  the  house  of  Israel  may  have  a  solid 
centre  to  maintain  its  sacred  faith,  to  justify  and 
develop  our  principles  before  the  eyes  of  the  world." 

But  he  was  doomed  again  to  disappointment. 
Although  he  preached  a  powerful  sermon  in  New 
York  he  could  get  no  support  from  the  leading 
congregations.  A  recently  organized  society, 
called  "Friends  of  Light,"  could  not  be  induced 
to  act  favourably.  Without  the  co-operation  of 
New  York,  union  at  that  time  was  impossible. 
Wise  left  New  York  gloomy,  indignant,  and  de- 
pressed. On  the  evening  before  his  departure  Dr. 
Lilienthal  asked  him  what  he  intended  to  do. 
"I  am  going  back  to  Albany,"  he  said,  "and  as 
truly  as  I  am  a  son  of  a  Jewish  mother,  I  shall 
divide  this  American  Judaism  into  two  inimical 
camps,  and  they  shall  overcome  the  abominable 
indifference,  repair  the  damages,  and  achieve  the 
triumph  of  a  new  Hfe  by  fight  and  struggle. " ' 

It  required,  however,  a  quarter  of  a  century  of 
fight  and  struggle  to  bring  about  the  desired 
result.  Wise's  activity  in  this  first  effort  for 
union  induced  his  congregation,  in  April,  1849,  to 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  92. 


84  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

enter  into  a  new  contract  with  him.  His  sermons 
in  New  York  had  been  w^ell  received,  and  he  had  a 
flattering  offer  from  a  Louisville  congregation. 
To  prevent  the  possibility  of  his  leaving  Albany 
a  special  meeting  of  the  congregation  was  called, 
and  he  was  elected  for  a  term  of  two  years  at  an 
advanced  salary.  At  first  this  action  caused  dis- 
sension in  the  congregation,  but  after  a  stormy 
meeting  on  April  14,  1849,  the  action  taken  at  a 
former  meeting  was  adhered  to.  The  contract 
between  the  rabbi  and  the  congregation  is  a  most 
singular  one.  The  salary  fixed  was  $550  per 
annum,  payable  quarterly,  and  S9.00  for  each 
pupil  in  the  school.  The  rabbi  was  to  furnish 
suitable  schoolrooms  and  heat  them  at  his  own 
expense.  Notwithstanding  the  new  agreement 
the  dissensions  in  the  congregation  continued. 
The  ultra-orthodox  element  was  dissatisfied  with 
even  the  moderate  reforms  introduced,  and  when- 
ever a  new  reform  was  advocated  the  storm  broke 
out  anew.  The  principal  reform  now  advocated 
was  the  confirmation  of  boys  and  girls  on  the 
hoHday,  Shabuoth,  the  anniversary  of  the  pro- 
mulgation of  the  Ten  Commandments  on  Mount 
Sinai.  In  an  orthodox  congregation  confirmation 
had  never  been  sanctioned  for  boys,  and  it  was 
considered  rank  heresy  to  allow  girls  to  take  part 


First  Call  for  a  Union  85 

in  the  service.  The  introduction  of  EngHsh  and 
German  hymns  in  place  of  certain  traditional 
prayers  Hkewise  caused  much  discord.  Another 
ground  of  complaint  was  the  suggestion  of  the 
rabbi  that  the  young  boys  and  girls,  after  they 
left  his  school,  should  attend  the  higher  institu- 
tions of  learning  in  Albany.  The  tension  was  so 
strong  that  upon  the  slightest  pretext  ill  feeling 
and  discord  were  created.  When  Wise  spoke  to 
his  friends  at  the  Albany  library  they  advised  him 
to  give  up  the  ministry  and  study  law.  Indeed, 
at  one  time  Wise  did  begin  to  read  Kent  and  Black- 
stone  to  prepare  himself  for  the  bar  if  it  became 
necessary  for  him  to  leave  the  ministry.  The 
immigration  of  1848  brought  many  cultured 
Germans  to  Albany,  and  Wise  soon  succeeded  in 
organizing  a  German  literary  society  which  gave 
him  much  pleasure.  "For  me,"  he  writes,  "the 
society  was  an  oasis  in  the  wilderness,  for  there  I 
found  myself  among  my  best,  truest,  and  warmest 
friends  with  whom  I  could  exchange  ideas  freely. "  ^ 

^Reminiscences,  p.  iii. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  CHARLESTON   EPISODE — THE  BREAK  WITH 

BETH   EL 

I 849-1 850 

After  the  failure  of  the  first  movement  for  the 
union  of  American  Hebrew  congregations,  Wise 
took  little  interest  in  national  Jewish  affairs.  He 
studied  incessantly  at  the  State  library,  devoting 
most  of  his  time  to  the  reading  of  mythology.  He 
wrote  very  little  for  the  Occident.  In  October, 
1849,  there  appeared  in  New  York  City  a  Jewish 
weekly  published  and  edited  by  Robert  Lyon, 
an  English  Jew.  The  first  number  states  that: 
"The  Asmonean  is  a  journal  devoted  to  the 
advocacy  of  a  congregational  union  of  Israelites  of 
the  United  States."'  In  the  November  9,  1849, 
issue  ^  appears  a  remarkable  letter  from  Dr.  Wise, 
in  which  he  hails  with  delight  the  new  organ.     A 

'  Asmonean,  vol.  i.,  Oct.  26,  1849. 
'  Ibid.,  No.  3. 

86 


The  Break  with  Beth  El  87 

few  extracts  from  this  letter  give  a  good  insight 
into  his  feelings  and  views  at  this  time.  "The 
first  number  of  your  paper  reached  me  in  my  soli- 
tary closet  behind  the  dusty  barricade  of  large 
books  of  antiquity,  and,  to  confess  the  truth,  I 
read  the  first  number  with  sificere  pleasure.  But 
I  know  what  good  you  can  do  with  your  paper  to 
the  Jewish  community  on  this  side  of  the  ocean. 
An  American  Jew  you  perceive  has  a  twofold 
mission,  to  promote  truth  and  liberty. 

"  .  .  .In  respect  of  promoting  truth  I  thought 
it  proper  and  advantageous  that  Israel  form  a  re- 
ligious unity  of  his  little  republics  (congregations) 
that  this  centre  may  animate  light  where  darkness 
yet  prevails.  I  left  last  year  my  solitary  closet 
for  a  short  time  to  call  on  my  brethren  earnestly 
and  solemnly  to  unite  for  the  accomplishment  of 
our  mission  to  be  strictly  combined  in  our  sacred 
cause.  But  I  am  ashamed  and  disappointed.  I 
had  to  retire  from  the  stage  of  public  activity,  my 
caU  died  away,  my  design  was  misinterpreted,  and 
all  the  pious  efforts  of  my  orthodox  friends  proved 
a  total  failure.  Therefore  do  I  sit  again  in  my 
soHtary  closet  behind  barricades  of  vast  tomes  of 
antiquity  and  study  restless  dead  letters  to  forget 
the  living  presence,  to  forget  the  shame  and  disap- 
pointment which  I  experienced.     You,  my  dear 


88  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

sir,  promise  to  advocate  the  cause  of  unity  in  co- 
operation with  our  worthy  friend,  the  Rev.  Isaac 
Leeser,  therefore  take  that  grand  standard  out  of 
my  feeble  hands  and  represent  it  to  the  people. 
If  you  think  it  advantageous  to  the  sacred  cause 
that  I  leave  again  my  solitary  closet,  then  call 
on  me  and,  though  opposed  by  the  prejudices  of  a 
world,  I  will  render  my  assistance ;  it  is  true  I  lost 
the  battle,  my  hosts  lay  slain  on  the  battlefield, 
but  I  have  saved  the  mighty  banner  under  which 
yet  new  forces  may  assemble ;  but  if  you  think  my 
co-operation  (as  I  do)  injurious  to  the  sacred 
cause,  then  say  it  frankly  and  openly  and  hence- 
forth I  will  be  dumb.  I  will  continue  to  forget 
myself,  to  subdue,  and  to  bury  my  wishes,  but 
with  the  glorious  triumph  of  union  I  will  triumph, 
too,  when  this  grand  statue  shall  be  erected,  and 
with  American  Israelites  I  will  rejoice  likewise.  " 

The  failure  of  the  plan  for  union,  and  the  op- 
position to  reform  in  his  own  congregation  were  not 
the  sole  causes  of  Dr.  Wise's  depression  and  sad- 
ness. Just  prior  to  these  events  he  had  been  quite 
ill.  His  sickness  was  undoubtedly  due  to  over- 
work. He  had  a  presentiment  of  approaching 
death,  and  thought  his  lung  was  affected.  "Two 
years    of    uninterrupted    exertion,"    he    writes,* 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  97. 


The  Break  with  Beth  El  89 

"without  recreation  and  sufficient  sleep  had  quite 
consumed  my  vitality,  and  the  exciting  events  of 
the  past  months  produced  in  me  a  nervous  irrita- 
bility which  I  could  overcome  only  with  difficulty. 
Friendly  physicians  called  my  attention  to  my 
pallid  countenance,  the  blue  rings  under  my  eyes, 
and  my  listless  and  tottering  gait.  They  pre- 
scribed various  remedies,  but  I  neglected  to  use 
them.  I  was  haunted  by  a  presentiment  of  death, 
and  this  made  me  disregard  all  medicaments." 

About  this  time  there  arrived  in  Albany  from 
Bohemia  Dr.  Joseph  Lewi,  who  had  been  Wise's 
family  physician  at  Radnitz.  Besides  physician, 
he  was  an  intimate  friend,  and  he  immediately 
insisted  that  Dr.  Wise  change  his  manner  of  life. 
A  simple  diet,  cold  baths,  exercise  in  the  open  air, 
and  less  reading  brought  about  a  decided  im- 
provement. 

Shortly  after  the  movement  for  union  failed, 
the  dissensions  in  his  congregation  due  to  his 
reforms  increased,  and  a  great  grief  came  to  him 
in  the  death  of  his  second  child,  a  daughter,  Laura, 
aged  two  years.  The  child,  who  had  been  frail, 
died  after  an  illness  of  one  day.  Dr.  Wise  became 
quite  ill,  his  cough  grew  worse,  and  at  times  he 
was  very  melancholy.  At  the  funeral  of  his 
daughter  he  forbade  "pious"  members  of  the  con- 


90  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

gregation  to  rend  his  garments  or  those  of  his  wife, 
and  he  refused  to  observe  the  traditional  mourn- 
ing customs,  such  as  sitting  on  the  floor  without 
his  shoes.  To  vex  him  all  the  more  his  opponents 
circulated  petitions  asking  for  the  aboHtion  of  the 
principal  reforms  he  had  introduced,  and  for  the 
restoration  of  the  traditional  prayers  containing 
references  to  the  personal  Messiah  and  the  return 
to  Palestine,  but  the  petitions  did  not  receive  the 
required  signatures.  Some  of  his  friends  wished 
him  to  leave  Beth  El  congregation  and  organize 
a  new  synagogue,  but  he  did  not  wish  to  disrupt 
the  congregation,  and  at  his  request  his  friends 
abandoned  the  idea. 

The  opponents  continued  their  agitation,  and 
Wise  worked  harder  than  ever,  frequently  until 
two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  He  resumed  the 
study  of  law  so  that  he  should  be  able  to  support 
his  family,  if  necessary.  His  first  son,  Leo,  had 
just  been  born.  However,  there  was  no  improve-^ 
ment  in  his  condition  during  the  winter  of  1849- 
1850.  Dr.  Lewi  insisted  that  he  must  go  South 
for  several  weeks,  and,  with  the  consent  of  his 
congregation,  he  left  early  in  February,  1850. 
"This  journey,  "  he  writes, '  "was  the  turning  point 
of  my  career,"     As  there  were  no  railroads  be- 

'  Reminiscences,  pp.  126-128. 


The  Break  with  Beth  El  91 

tween  Albany  and  New  York,  and  the  Hudson 
being  frozen,  he  had  to  travel  to  New  York  via 
Bridgeport,  Connecticut.  On  this  journey  of 
sixteen  hours  his  whole  past  was  recalled.  "With 
what  high  hopes  I  had  travelled  up  the  Hudson 
not  quite  four  years  before!  How  disappointed 
and  discouraged  I  was  now  travelling  back.  I 
examined  myself  carefully  in  the  mirror  of  my 
own  consciousness  and  saw  in  my  mind's  eye  a 
man  physically  and  mentally  broken,  without  any 
prospects  of  improvement,  without  any  hope  for 
the  future."  Such  were  his  thoughts  from  Albany 
to  Bridgeport,  due,  as  he  intimates,  to  the  rough 
railroad  trip.  From  Bridgeport  to  New  York 
he  went  by  steamer  across  the  Sound.  "The 
motion  being  different  was  very  pleasant.  I  took 
supper,  smoked  a  cigar,  and  viewed  the  clear 
waters  lying  so  calmly  below  me.  Then  I  gazed 
at  the  beautiful  sky  above  me  spangled  with  stars 
so  full  of  mystery,  moving  in  their  orbits  so 
noiselessly.  And  it  occurred  to  me  that  I  was 
a  naughty  child  which  wanted  everything  it 
could  not  have,  which  imagined  that  it  under- 
stood everything  better  than  its  teacher  and 
master.  I  bethought  myself,  banished  my  feelings 
of  despondency,  and  arrived  at  New  York  cheer- 
ful and  bright." 


92  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Upon  his  arrival  in  New  York  he  called  on  Lilien- 
thal,  who  told  him  how  badly  Rev.  Dr.  Raphall 
had  treated  him.  Dr.  M.  J.  Raphall,  formerly  of 
Birmingham,  England,  came  to  America  primarily 
to  deliver  lectures  on  Hebrew  poetry,  but  was 
induced  later  to  accept  the  pulpit  of  the  Elm 
Street  congregation  of  New  York,  and  soon  became 
the  leading  orthodox  rabbi  in  America.  Lilien- 
thal  and  Wise  exchanged  their  sad  experiences. 
Lilienthal  told  him  of  his  intention  to  leave  the 
ministry  and  to  devote  himself  entirely  to  the 
education  of  the  young.  This  he  did  shortly 
thereafter,  and  did  not  occupy  another  pulpit 
until  1855,  when  he  became  the  rabbi  of  Bene 
Israel  of  Cincinnati,  for  which  position  he  was 
enthusiastically  recommended  by  Dr.  Wise,  who 
was  temporarily  occupying  that  pulpit. 

After  Wise  told  Lilienthal  of  his  troubles  the 
latter  replied:  "There  is  no  help  for  you.  If  you 
want  to  be  the  Christ  you  must  expect  to  be 
crucified.  I  will  not.  I  shall  do  something  else 
for  a  living."^ 

Upon  leaving  New  York,  Wise  went  to  Phila- 
delphia, where  he  visited  Leeser,  who  also  told 
him  of  his  precarious  position.  It  was  during 
this  visit  that  Leeser  informed  him  that  he  was 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  129. 


The  Break  with  Beth  El  93 

translating  the  Bible  into  English.  This  Leaser 
translation  of  the  Hebrew  Bible  was  the  only  one 
used  in  America  until  191 6,  when  a  new  translation 
was  issued  by  the  Jewish  Publication  Society  of 
America.  From  Leeser  he  also  learned  that  Dr. 
Raphall's  six  lectures  on  Hebrew  poetry  had 
attracted  much  attention  wherever  delivered,  and 
that  Raphall  expected  to  deliver  them  at  Charles- 
ton, South  Carolina,  and  incidentally  to  champion 
the  cause  of  the  orthodox  congregation  in  the 
latter  city.  Upon  leaving  Leeser,  Wise  told  him 
he  intended  remaining  in  Washington  ten  to  twelve 
days,  and  might  possibly  visit  Charleston.  Leeser 
asked  him  to  send  him  the  first  lecture  delivered 
there.     The  next  day  Wise  left  for  Washington. 

In  the  spring  of  1850  the  country  was  eagerly 
awaiting  the  settlement  of  the  grave  questions 
growing  out  of  the  Mexican  War.  The  Congress 
that  had  retired  with  Polk  in  March,  1849,  had 
left  the  status  of  New  Mexico  and  California  un- 
settled, and  when  Taylor,  a  Southern  slaveholder, 
was  inaugurated,  the  South  believed  her  rights 
secure.  California,  without  waiting  for  Congres- 
sional authority,  having  adopted  a  state  consti- 
tution expressly  prohibiting  slavery,  was  applying 
for  admission  into  the  Union.  The  Congress  which 
assembled  in    December,   1849,  was    a  remarka- 


94  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

ble  body.  The  Senate,  divided  equally  between 
the  free  and  slave  states,  was  composed  of  the 
ablest  men  in  public  life,  and  without  doubt  was 
stronger  than  it  had  ever  been  in  the  history  of  the 
country.  Naturally  the  giants  of  the  Senate  were 
Webster,  Clay,  and  Calhoun.  Besides  these  three 
great  men  there  were  many  other  notable  ones, 
some  serving  their  last  term,  others  just  entering 
on  glorious  and  illustrious  careers,  and  again 
others  upon  whom  the  mantles  of  departing 
leaders  were  to  fall.  Among  the  former  was 
Benton,  of  Missouri;  among  the  rising  stars  were 
Seward,  Chase,  and  Hale,  and  of  the  new  leaders 
Douglas  and  Jefferson  Davis  were  to  be  the  most 
prominent  during  the  coming  decade. 

The  question  uppermost  in  the  minds  of  all  was 
slavery.  The  South  wished  to  extend  the  slave 
territory,  and  the  North  to  prevent  any  extension. 
It  was  evident  that  a  crisis  was  at  hand,  and  Henry 
Clay,  despite  his  years  and  failing  health,  was 
ready  as  ever  with  his  usual  panacea,  compromise. 
This  he  sought  to  accompHsh  by  admitting  Cali- 
fornia as  a  free  state,  to  make  New  Mexico  a 
territory  without  slavery;  the  fugitive  slave  law 
was  to  be  made  more  stringent.  Congress  was  not 
to  interfere  with  slavery  in  the  District  of  Colum- 
bia, and  Texas  was  to  be  paid  millions  in  exchange 


The  Break  with  Beth  El  95 

for  certain  of  her  territory  which  was  to  become  a 
part  of  New  Mexico.  His  measure  was  introduced 
at  the  end  of  January,  1850,  and  within  a  week  an 
epoch-making  debate  was  in  progress  upon  this 
scheme,  a  debate  which  was  to  be  the  making  and 
unmaking  of  illustrious  men,  a  discussion  in  which 
statesmen  who,  during  the  past  forty  years,  had 
become  world-renowned  orators,  were  to  make 
their  last  appearance  in  the  public  forum. 

During  his  short  stay  in  Washington,  Wise  was 
in  constant  attendance  at  the  Senate,  and  had  the 
good  fortune  to  hear,  and  was  greatly  impressed 
by  many  of  the  famous  and  now  historical  speeches 
on  the  Compromise  of  1850,  though  he  is  mistaken 
when  he  writes^  that  he  left  Washington  an  hour 
after  the  passage  of  the  Omnibus  Bill.  During  his 
sojourn  he  met  William  H.  Sew^ard,  whom  he  knew 
in  Albany,  and  dined  with  Webster.  Seward  in- 
troduced him  to  President  Taylor.  Both  Webster 
and  Seward  promised  to  secure  for  him  positions 
in  colleges  if  he  felt  inclined  to  teach.  Dr.  Wise 
writes  of  his  visit  as  follows^:  "My  sojourn  in 
Washington  had  an  Americanizing  influence  on  me. 
I  felt  that  I  was  one  of  the  American  people  al- 
though I  had  not  yet  been  naturalized,  and  from 
that  time  I  said  '  we, '  '  us '  and  '  our '  quite  uncon- 

^  Reminiscences,  p.  141.  'Ibid.,  p.  139. 


96  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

sciously  whenever  I  spoke  of  American  affairs.  I 
felt  greatly  uplifted  and  aroused  by  this  inter- 
course with  the  greatest  spirits  of  the  country  and 
the  kindly  reception  wherewith  I  met.  The  intel- 
lectual eight-day  combat  that  I  witnessed  in 
the  Senate  stirred  me  mightily,  enlarged  my 
horizon,  refreshed  my  mind,  and  taught  me  what 
was  needed  to  become  an  English  orator. " 

While  at  Washington  he  was  invited  by  the  re- 
form congregation  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
to  address  them.  In  extending  the  invitation  the 
congregation  informed  him  of  the  attacks  Dr. 
Raphall  was  making  upon  reform.  Wise  accepted 
with  alacrity,  and  arrived  at  Charleston  in  good 
health  and  spirits,  and  realized  that  much  of  his 
illness  was  imaginary. 

The  reform  congregation,  Beth  Elohim,  of 
Charleston,  consisted  of  Americans  of  Portuguese 
descent.  Its  preacher  and  leader,  Rev.  Gustav 
Posnanski,  was  a  German.  The  reform  movement 
in  this  congregation  began  as  early  as  1824  when 
forty-seven  members  of  the  congregation,  dis- 
satisfied with  the  services,  memorialized  the  Board 
of  Trustees  for  a  reform  of  the  ritual,  which  was 
granted.  More  radical  reforms  were  introduced 
after  1836  when  Rev.  Mr.  Posnanski  took  charge. 
An  organ  was  placed  in  the  synagogue  when  it  was 


The  Break  with  Beth  El  97 

rebuilt  after  the  fire  of  1838;  in  1843  the  observ- 
ance of  the  second-day  hoHdays  was  aboHshed 
and  the  congregation  worshipped  with  uncovered 
heads.  Thus,  in  March,  1850,  Beth  Elohim  was 
the  most  advanced  reform  congregation  in  Amer- 
ica. Dr.  Wise's  sermon,  "The  Effect  of  Biblical 
Theology,"  was  well  received.  Dr.  Raphall  was 
preaching  for  orthodoxy  while  Wise  expounded  the 
cause  of  reform  Judaism.  Before  Wise's  arrival 
at  Charleston  a  public  debate  between  Raphall 
and  Posnanski  had  been  arranged,  and  Wise  was 
a  spectator.  He  readily  surmised  that  neither 
debater  had  a  first-hand  knowledge  of  rabbinical 
literature.  "Raphall,"  he  writes,'  "was  being 
worsted,  for  Posnanski  was  a  skilled  dialectician 
and  remained  calm,  while  Raphall  became  excited 
and  declaimed  violently.  Finally  Raphall  grew 
angry  and  glowed  with  holy  zeal.  Instead  of 
arguing,  he  began  to  catechize.  He  asked  the 
public,  and,  finally,  myself  personally,  'Do  you 
believe  in  the  personal  Messiah?  Do  you  believe 
in  the  bodily  resurrection?'  The  unhesitating 
direct  answer  in  a  loud  and  decisive  manner  was 
'No.'  This  ended  the  drama.  Raphall  seized 
his  books,  rushed  angrily  out  of  the  hall  followed 
by  his  whole  party.     He  had  apparently  given 

^  Reminiscences,  p.  149. 
7 


98  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

up  the  fight.  Raphall  departed  at  the  end  of 
that  week.  I  preached  on  the  following  Sabbath 
and  left  in  the  evening  for  New  York  by  steamer, 
for  I  wished  to  take  an  ocean  trip. 

"I  left  Charleston  in  perfect  health,  thoroughly 
Americanized.  I  had  gained  a  large  circle  of 
new  friends,  among  whom  were  men  and  women 
of  considerable  influence.  I  felt  exalted,  vivacious, 
and  energetic." 

Shortly  after  his  arrival  at  Albany  he  received 
word  of  his  unanimous  election  as  rabbi  of  Beth 
Elohim.  The  call  was  a  most  welcome  one,  for 
he  felt  there  would  be  no  congregational  bickerings. 
Upon  receiving  his  wife's  consent,  he  accepted  the 
offer,  and  resigned  his  position  in  Beth  El  con- 
gregation to  take  effect  April  15,  1850.  His 
friends  approved  of  his  action,  not  that  they 
wished  him  to  leave,  but  because  they  believed 
he  had  not  been  treated  properly  by  many  mem- 
bers. Resolutions  of  goodwill  and  appreciation 
signed  by  the  president,  ex-president,  and  many 
of  the  trustees,  were  printed  in  the  Asmonean  of 
April  5,  1850.^  His  opponents  acted  as  on  former 
occasions,  begging  him  to  remain  and  promising 
him  support  in  all  his  efforts. 

The  horrors  of  yellow  fever  were  pointed  out  to 

^  Vol,  i.,  No.  24. 


The  Break  with  Beth  El  99 

his  wife  and  relatives,  who  finally  induced  him, 
much  against  his  wall  and  inclination,  to  withdraw 
his  resignation.  "I  finally  acquiesced  in  the 
folly  and  the  wrong  of  remaining  and  permitted 
myself  to  be  re-elected  in  Albany  for  three  years. 
The  joy  was  great;  feasts  of  reconciliation  were 
celebrated;  I  was  overwhelmed  with  costly  gifts, 
the  heavens  were  without  a  cloud.  I  could,  how- 
ever, not  rejoice  because  I  knew  I  had  acted  fool- 
ishly and  wrongly.  In  this  mood  I  wrote  the 
letter  of  declination  to  Charleston.  This  was 
received  in  ill  part  there,  but  the  step  was  irre- 
vocable."' 

Wise  had  been  elected  at  Albany  in  1849  for  a 
term  of  tvv'O  years ;  he  was  now  re-elected  for  a  term 
of  three  years  at  the  same  salary.  An  additional 
sum  of  two  hundred  dollars  per  annum  was  to  be 
subscribed  by  some  of  the  members.  At  the  same 
meeting  a  new  president,  Louis  Spanier,  was 
chosen,  and  this  man  soon  became  Wise's  bitterest 
enemy. 

Within  a  week  after  Wise's  re-election  at  Albany 
he  wrote  to  the  Asmonean,''  answering  an  anony- 
mous letter  attacking  him  for  refusing  the  Charles- 
ton position.  This  attack  accused  him  of  remaining 
in  Albany  because  of  an  increase  in  salary,  and 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  152.  =*  Vol.  i.,  No.  26,  April  19,  1850. 


100  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

also  stated  that  he  had  practically  sold  out  re- 
form, as  he  could  render  better  services  in  that 
cause  in  Charleston  than  in  Albany.  In  his  reply 
Wise,  after  stating  that  this  letter  was  malicious 
in  tone  and  setting  forth  that  he  could  not  resist 
the  pleadings  of  his  many  friends  to  remain  in 
Albany,  writes:  "But  what  vital  difference  is  it 
if  I  am  in  Charleston  or  in  Albany  ?  I  am  rather 
inclined  to  think  every  man  and  every  woman  of 
the  congregation  Beth  Elohim  of  Charleston  is  a 
true-hearted  reformer,  and  every  meeting  in  their 
synagogue  a  new  guaranty  for  the  duration  of  their 
sentiments;  while  the  congregations  in  the  North 
are  still  dead,  they  still  shut  up  their  ears  not  to 
hear  the  violent  cry  of  the  demands  of  the  time; 
they  still  blind  their  eyes  not  to  see  the  downfall 
of  Judaism,  the  expiration  of  our  sacred  faith. 
Therefore  I  think  if  I  can  do  anything  for  the 
benefit  of  Judaism,  I  can  do  much  more  here  in  the 
North  than  in  Charleston.  But  if  anybody  can 
convince  me  that  I  am  at  any  other  place  of  more 
benefit  to  Judaism  I  am  always  ready  to  go,  to  the 
Pole,  or  to  the  Equator,  to  Ethiopia,  or  to  Pata- 
gonia."  The  letter  then  sets  forth  what  he  has 
already  done  for  reform,  and  continues:  "You 
see,  my  anonymous  friend,  that  I  have  not  sold 
my  convictions  for  base  money,  and  I  can  heartily 


The  Break  with  Be;th  El  iot 

assure  you  that  I  shall  remain  faithfully  devoted 
and  sincerely  attached  to  the  sacred  cause  of 
Judaism,  which,  in  my  humble  opinion,  can  pros- 
per only  in  and  through  reform  which  dare  by 
no  means  be  a  partial  one." 

The  publication  of  this  letter  was  followed  by 
abusive  letters  signed  by  "Israel."^  Rev.  Mr.  A. 
Rice,  an  orthodox  preacher,  of  Baltimore,  in  the 
same  number  of  the  Asmoiiean  writes:  "I  will 
herewith  show  that  the  man  who  agrees  with  the 
reformers  of  the  Charleston  congregation,  Beth 
Elohim,  has  no  longer  a  right  or  a  voice  to  talk 
about  Judaism."  Wise's  reply  is  printed  in  the 
Asmonean  of  May  3,  1850.  He  treats  the  abusive 
letter  of  "Israel"  with  contempt  and  answers  the 
Rice  letter  in  detail,  refuting  the  former's  argu- 
ments with  biblical  and  Talmudical  quotations. 

In  the  Occide?tt  there  also  appeared  attacks  on 
Wise  because  of  the  answers  he  made  to  the  cate- 
gorical questions  of  Dr.  Raphall.  The  orthodox 
party  under  Raphall 's  leadership  now  began  to 
make  Wise's  position  in  Albany  very  unpleasant. 
Louis  Spanier  for  some  unknown  reason  lent  him- 
self to  this  movement.  When  Dr.  Wise  com- 
plained to  him  of  the  unbecoming  conduct  of  the 
cantor,    Spanier    only  mildly    reprimanded    that 

'  Asmonean,  vol.  i.,  No.  26. 


i02  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

official.  No  member  of  the  Board  was  permitted 
to  have  his  store  open  on  the  Sabbath.  A  friend 
of  Spanier  violated  this  rule,  and  when  Wise 
insisted  over  the  latter's  objection  on  preaching 
against  this  infraction,  Spanier  and  some  of  his 
friends  left  the  synagogue.  The  congregational 
affairs  were  becoming  more  unsettled,  and  the 
breach  between  Wise's  friends  and  opponents  was 
widening  daily.  The  crisis  came  in  July,  1850. 
At  the  request  of  President  Spanier  two  sets  of 
charges  were  preferred  against  Rabbi  Wise. 
One  set  forth,  "that  as  Dr.  Wise  had  denied  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah  and  the  (bodily)  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  he  is  consequently  an  apostate 
who  has  no  position  in  the  life  to  come  according 
to  the  highest  rabbinical  authority  universally 
recognized."  The  second  petition  contained  six 
specific  charges:  "  (i)  In  one  of  his  recent  sermons 
he  declared  all  prayer  in  a  dead  language  (Hebrew) 
to  be  but  a  superstitious  performance  and  all 
ceremonies  like  Tephilin  and  Zisith,  which  have 
no  longer  any  meaning,  as  superfluous  and  un- 
necessary; (2)  He  tries  to  make  us  forget  our  old 
beautiful  prayers  which  we  have  inherited  from 
our  fathers  and  wants  us  to  replace  them  by  new- 
fangled prayers  of  the  Offenbacher  synagogues  and 
the  so-called  Templars ;  (3)  In  his  first  sermon  after 


The  Break  with  Beth  El  103 

his  election  he  said:  'From  the  fact  that  he  per- 
mitted himself  to  be  elected  by  the  reform  con- 
gregation of  Charleston,  they  had  to  infer  that  he 
stands  for  reformation,  and  one  that  is  further 
reaching  than  that  at  Charleston.'  If  a  Jew  is 
in  favour  of  a  reform  religion  like  that  of  the  con- 
gregation Beth  Elohim,  in  Charleston,  it  is  bad 
enough,  but  if  he  wants  to  go  still  further  in  re- 
forming he  can  be  a  Jew  no  longer ;  (4)  They  have 
heard  that  he  was  seen  writing  on  Rosh-Hashanah 
(New  Year)  in  an  Odd  Fellows  Lodge;  (5)  They 
heard  that  on  a  Sabbath  he  was  seen  swinging 
himself  in  the  Mineral  Spring  Garden  (Ge- 
schwungen  in  a  Schwing);  (6)  He  ridiculed  pub- 
licly the  woman's  ritual  bath.  "^ 

These  petitions,  signed  by  twelve  members, 
asked  for  an  investigation  of  the  charges  and  a 
dismissal  of  Wise  if  proven  guilty.  The  bitter 
opponents  of  Wise  gave  serious  attention  to  the 
charges,  copies  of  w^hich  were  delivered  to  him 
with  the  direction  that  he  submit  his  defence  in 
writing  to  the  president  by  the  fourteenth  day  of 
July,  at  ten  o'clock  "precisely."  Wise  sent  his 
reply  on  July  12,  1850.  "He  knew  of  no  law  in 
this  country,"  he  writes,^  "which  requires  a  man 

'  History  of  Beth  Emeth  Congregation,  Albany,  1910,  pp.  46-47. 
'  History  oj  Albany  Congregation,  p.  48. 


104  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

to  defend  himself  in  writing  unless  confronted  by 
his  accusers.  For  the  sake  of  peace  he  will  con- 
sent to  defend  himself  orally,  and  in  the  presence 
of  his  accusers,  and  for  this  purpose  they  may 
fix  a  certain  time  and  place. " 

At  a  meeting  of  the  trustees  on  July  24,  1850, 
attended  by  a  bare  majority,  it  was  resolved  "that 
Dr.  Wise's  salary  due  on  July  14th  previously 
should  be  stopped  until  the  congregation  at  its 
next  meeting  should  decide  whether  or  not  it 
should  proceed,"^  The  meeting  which  usually 
took  place  on  the  night  of  the  second  day  of  New 
Year  was  held  on  September  5th,  two  days  before 
the  Jewish  New  Year.  The  meeting  was  a  long 
stormy  one.  Louis  Spanier,  without  permitting 
Dr.  Wise  a  personal  defence,  placed  the  charges 
before  the  meeting.  The  friends  of  Wise  insisted 
that  as  the  meeting  was  a  special  one,  and  as  no 
notice  had  been  given  of  the  intention  to  consider 
the  charges,  it  was  not  permissible  to  debate  them. 
A  motion  to  adjourn  was  made,  and  when  Presi- 
dent Spanier  refused  to  put  the  motion  to  a  vote, 
Vice-President  Sporberg  called  for  the  question 
and  declared  the  motion  carried,  and  the  meeting 
adjourned.  Wise's  friends  left,  but  about  forty- 
three    members,    including    a    minority    of    the 

'  History  of  Albany  Congregation,  p.  48. 


The  Break  with  Beth  El  105 

trustees,  remained.  Spanier  then  brought  for- 
ward the  charges  and  the  meeting  declared  the 
contract  between  the  congregation  and  Dr.  Wise 
null  and  void  and  deposed  Dr.  Wise  from  office  and 
refused  to  pay  him  his  back  salary.  Upon  receiv- 
ing a  copy  of  the  resolutions,  Wise  immediately 
notified  the  president  that  "According  to  law,  and 
at  the  request  of  the  majority  of  the  trustees,  he 
shall  remain  in  office  and  perform  all  the  duties 
pertaining  thereto."^ 

It  was  then  apparent  that  there  would  be 
trouble  at  the  service  on  New  Year's  day.  When 
Dr.  Wise  entered  the  synagogue  he  found  his  seat 
on  the  platform  occupied  by  one  of  Spanier' s 
friends,  whereupon  he  took  a  seat  in  the  body  of 
the  synagogue  near  the  ark.  In  his  Reminis- 
cences he  describes  what  followed^:  "Excitement 
ruled  the  hour.  Everything  was  quiet  as  the 
grave.  Finally  the  choir  sings  Sulzer's  great  En 
Komokho.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  song  I  stepped 
before  the  ark  to  take  out  the  scrolls  of  the  law 
as  usual  and  to  offer  prayer.  Spanier  steps  in  my 
way  and  without  saying  a  word  smites  me  with  his 
fist  so  that  my  cap  falls  from  my  head.  This 
was  the  signal  for  an  uproar,  the  Hke  of  which  I 

'  History  of  Albany  Congregation,  p.  48. 
'  P.  165. 


io6  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

never  experienced.  The  people  acted  like  furies. 
It  was  as  though  the  synagogue  had  burst  forth 
in  a  flaming  conflagration.  Within  two  minutes 
the  whole  assembly  was  a  struggling  mass.  I 
finally  reached  home  bowed  with  pain  and  in- 
expressible grief.  The  constable  came  and  ar- 
rested me  as  the  ringleader  of  a  rebellious  mob  at 
a  public  service.  Who  can  describe  that  terrible 
day?  Not  I.  It  was  an  agonizing  hellish  torture. 
This  victory  of  orthodoxy  proved  its  grave  wherein 
it  was  buried." 

Numerous  lawsuits  grew  out  of  the  disgraceful 
proceedings.  Most  of  them  were  dismissed.  The 
case  of  Wise  against  Louis  Spanier  for  assault  and 
battery  was  tried  the  following  May.  This  suit 
probably  would  not  have  been  pressed  had  it  not 
been  for  Spanier's  boast  to  Wise.  "Louis  Span- 
ier," said  Dr.  Wise,  "there  is  a  law  to  which  I 
can  appeal."  Spanier  replied,  "I  have  a  hundred 
thousand  dollars  more  than  you.  I  do  not  fear 
the  law.  I  will  ruin  you."  The  Asmonean  of 
May  23,  1 85 1,'  and  the  Occident  of  June,  1851,' 
contain  a  detailed  account  of  the  trial  in  the 
mayor's  court  on  May  17,  1851.  The  court  held 
that  Dr.  Wise  was  bound  to  preach  on  New  Year's 
day;  that  only  a  minority  of  the  congregation  had 

I  Vol.  iv.,  No.  5.  » Vol.  ix.,  p.  166. 


The  Break  with  Beth  El  107 

cancelled  his  contract,  that  the  action  was  illegal; 
that  Louis  Spanier  had  no  right  to  interfere  with 
him,  and  that  he  inflicted  blows  upon  him.  "That 
the  defendant  committed  an  assault  and  battery 
on  the  minister  in  the  pulpit  in  the  presence  of  the 
congregation,  and  when  he  was  told  by  the  plain- 
tiff that  the  arm  of  justice  should  reach  him,  he 
answered  he  was  too  rich  to  fear  the  law."  The 
jury  awarded  the  plaintiff  one  thousand  dollars 
damages  and  his  costs.  Wise  never  sought  to 
collect  the  judgment.  He  states':  "I  never 
received  one  thousand  dollars  because  I  did  not 
want  them.  It  was  enough  for  me  that  the  law 
had  decided  that  my  conduct  was  lawful,  while  my 
opponent's  acts  were  illegal.  He  (Spanier)  re- 
tired as  president  shortly  afterwards,  left  Albany, 
and  died  a  few  years  later  in  his  prime.  May 
God  forgive  his  sins.  I  have  forgiven  him  long 
ago.  If,  however,  any  member  of  his  family  is 
still  living  I  beg  him  or  them  to  consider  me  a 
friend  and  to  turn  to  me  trustingly  in  case  of 
need." 

'  Reminiscences,  pp.  205-206. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE    SECOND    ALBANY   PERIOD — ORGANIZATION    OF 
CONGREGATION  ANSHE  EMETH,   MEN   OF  TRUTH 

185O-1854 

Beth  El  congregation  had  been  closed  by  the 
sheriff  on  New  Year's  day  to  prevent  further 
breaches  of  the  peace.  So  the  following  day 
services  were  held  by  Dr.  Wise  in  his  home.  This 
service  was  largely  attended  by  his  friends  and  the 
entire  choir.  And  on  the  following  day  Dr.  Wise 
dismissed  the  school  for  two  weeks. 

He  now  took  counsel  with  his  friends  at  the 

State    library.     They    urged    him    to    leave    the 

ministry  and  enter  the  law,  and  a  time  was  set 

for  the  bar  examination.     However,  Wise  was  in 

a  state  of  great  doubt  and  uncertainty,  and  spent 

the    whole    afternoon    in    considering    the    grave 

question.     That  evening  while  still  wavering  as 

to  his  decision,  he  was  asked  to  attend  a  meeting 

called  by  the  most  prominent  members  of  the 

congregation.     The  men  assembled  were  earnest 

108 


The  Second  Albany  Period       109 

and  enthusiastic,  and  they  told  Wise  that  they 
would  no  longer  remain  members  of  Beth  El  con- 
gregation and  were  willing  to  organize  a  new  reform 
congregation,  provided  he  would  become  its  rabbi 
and  leader.  He  finally  consented,  and  arrange- 
ments were  made  to  incorporate  the  new  congre- 
gation, which  was  done  shortly  thereafter  under 
the  name  Anshe  Emeth,  Men  of  Truth.  Wise's 
library  friends^  thought  he  had  made  a  great  mis- 
take in  yielding  to  the  importunities  of  his  con- 
gregational friends.  But  it  was  most  fortunate 
for  Judaism  in  America  that  he  decided  to  remain 
in  the  ministry.  At  that  time  he  was  undoubtedly 
the  foremost  Jewish  reformer  in  the  country,  and 
among  the  ablest  of  all  the  rabbis,  both  reform  and 
orthodox.  His  views  were  well  known  and  he  had 
the  magnetism  to  attract  to  himself  and  his  cause 
young,  loyal,  and  fearless  followers. 

Within  a  week  his  friends  had  rented  rooms  on 
the  upper  floor  of  a  building  on  the  comer  of 
Lydius  (now  Madison)  Avenue,  and  South  Pearl 
Street,  and  in  this  temporary  house  of  worship  were 
held  the  services  on  the  holiest  day  of  the  year, 
Yom  Kippur,  Day  of  Atonement.  Speaking  of 
this  service,  Wise  says^: 

'  These  were  Wood,  Dean,  and  other  lawyers  and  litterati  who 
interested  themselves  in  his  welfare.  ^  Reminiscences,  p.  174. 


no  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

"The  congregation  was  assembled  in  this  unin- 
viting place.  They  sat  on  rough  benches,  and 
yet  all  were  present,  women  and  girls,  men  and 
boys,  not  one  missing.  A  spirit  of  devotion  and 
exaltation  such  as  is  rarely  met  with  pervaded 
the  assembly.  This  day  was  one  of  the  most 
touching  of  my  whole  life.  The  room  was  crowded 
all  day  long  (services  on  this  holy  day  continue 
throughout  the  day).  A  new  spirit  seemed  to 
possess  all.  A  band  of  courageous  and  spirited 
champions  of  progressive  Judaism  possessed  of  an 
inexpressible  enthusiasm  had  arisen  out  of  the 
defeat  which  we  had  suffered.  On  that  Yom 
Kippur  day  I  saw  American  Judaism  arise  out  of 
the  grave  to  go  forth  to  ever  new  triumphs,  and  it 
has  not  deceived  me  in  my  expectations. " 

During  the  last  century  it  was  customary  in 
America  for  new  congregations  to  solicit  funds 
in  larger  Jewish  communities,  and  Dr.  Wise, 
within  a  short  time  after  the  organization  of 
Anshe  Emeth  congregation,  set  out  on  such  a  mis- 
sion. During  his  long  and  eventful  career  he 
travelled  in  the  interest  of  American  Judaism  more 
than  any  other  rabbi  in  this  country,  and  much  of 
his  success  is  due  to  the  fact  that  he  came  into 
personal  contact  with  more  Jews  in  America  than 
any  other  man.     His  genial  manner,  his  democratic 


The  Second  Albany  Period       in 

ways,  and  his  oratorical  powers  caused  hundreds, 
and  later  thousands,  to  rally  around  his  standard 
of  reform.  On  this,  the  first  of  his  pilgrimages 
among  the  Jews,  he  visited  New  York,  Phila- 
delphia, Baltimore,  and  Washington.  In  New 
York  he  did  not  meet  with  a  hearty  welcome, 
though  with  the  aid  of  some  influential  men  he 
succeeded  in  collecting  a  large  sum  of  money. 
From  New  York  he  went  to  Philadelphia  where 
he  was  received  more  cordially.  He  preached  a 
strong  sermon  on  reform  in  an  orthodox  congrega- 
tion. Isaac  Leeser  heard  him,  and  commented 
as  follows:  "Dr.  Wise's  style  is  highly  figurative 
and  ornate,  perhaps  too  much  so  for  an  English 
or  American  audience,  but  to  a  German  ear  accus- 
tomed to  poetical  illustrations  he  handles  his 
matter  dehghtfully.  We  may  freely  say  that 
Dr.  Wise  has  made  quite  a  favourable  impression 
as  an  orator,  and  if  he  would  only  be  a  little  more 
energetic,  that  all  could  feel  the  earnestness  which 
compels  him  to  speak,  he  would  no  doubt  reach 
a  high  eminence  as  a  preacher  among  us,  and  he 
is  young  enough  yet  (31)  to  acquire  the  requisite 
manner  he  now  lacks. "  ^ 

From  Philadelphia  he  went  to  Baltimore,  where 
he  delivered  sermons  in  three  congregations  in  that 

'  Occident,  vol.  viii.,  p.  474. 


112  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

city.  One  of  these,  Har  Sinai,  was  a  reform  con- 
gregation. During  his  stay  in  Baltimore  he 
delivered  lectures  for  the  benefit  of  the  Albany 
congregation.  Having  accepted  an  invitation  to 
return  to  Philadelphia,  he  decided  to  visit  Wash- 
ington for  a  few  days.  On  this  visit  he  saw  Web- 
ster, now  Secretary  of  State  under  President 
Fillmore.  Webster,  who  had  heard  from  his 
friends  in  Albany  of  Wise's  bitter  struggle  there, 
asked  him  if  it  was  a  fact  that  he  had  remained 
true  to  his  calling,  and  when  Wise  answered  him 
affirmatively,  said:  "You  have  more  enthusiasm 
for  Judaism  than  our  ministers  have  for  the  church. 
This  is  worthy  of  all  praise,  although  it  seems  to 
lie  in  the  Jewish  blood,  as  appears  clearly  from  the 
prophets  of  old  and  the  Jewish  martyrs  of  all  ages. 
I  am  able  to  offer  you  a  number  of  positions  here, 
but  refrain  from  doing  so.  Your  position  appears 
to  me  sublime.  One  spark  of  enthusiasm  is  worth 
more  than  a  whole  conflagration  of  reason."^ 
Wise  also  called  on  President  Fillmore,  from  whom 
he  learned  that  his  Albany  friends  had  asked  the 
President  to  appoint  him  to  a  position  in  the 
library  of  Congress. 

On  Wise's  return  to  Philadelphia  he  delivered 
a  lecture  before  the  Rodef  Shalom  congregation 

^Reminiscences,  p.  185. 


The  Second  Albany  Period       113 

on  "The  Origin  of  Reform."  He  was  offered  the 
pulpit  of  this  congregation,  but  declined  it  on 
account  of  the  recent  events  at  Albany,  which 
obligated  him  to  remain  with  the  new  congregation 
Anshe  Emeth. 

Wise's  life  in  Albany  from  185 1  to  1854  was 
quiet,  happy  and  serene,  and  he  was  able  to  devote 
himself  to  writing  and  to  research  work.  During 
the  first  six  months  of  that  year  there  appeared  in 
the  Occident  five  remarkable  articles,  entitled 
' '  Principles  of  Judaism. ' ' '  These  in  the  main  were 
answers  to  Leeser's  articles  under  the  same  title.  * 
In  these  articles  Wise  lays  down  the  fundamental 
principles  of  Judaism  from  the  reform  standpoint, 
and  they  contain  the  germs  of  his  future  great 
works  on  this  subject,  especially  The  Essence  of 
Judaism,  which  was  revised  in  1872  under  the 
title  Judaism — Its  Doctrines  and  Duties.  The 
principal  arguments  urged  against  reform  were 
three:  (i)  That  the  Bible  forbids  every  reform; 
(2)  That  the  prophets  teach  bodily  resurrection 
and  the  coming  of  a  personal  Messiah;  and  (3) 
That  every  Jew  to  be  a  Jew  was  bound  to  believe 
these   dogmas.     Wise   answers   these   arguments: 

'  Occident,  vol.  viii.,  pp.  492,  541;  ihid.,  vol.  ix.,  pp.  19,  187, 
298. 

^  Ibid.,  vol.  viii.,  pp.  265,  325,  393,  433,  481,  529. 

8 


114  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

"If  the  expounders  of  the  Bible  teach  doctrines 
incompatible  with  the  laws  of  nature  which  are 
the  works  of  One  Eternal  God,  or  to  the  experience 
of  history,  which  is  the  realized  will  of  the  same 
benign  Providence,  I  am  bound  to  reject  them  in 
order  not  to  be  forced  to  doubt  the  authenticity 
of  the  Bible,  or  to  suppose  that  Infinite  Wisdom 
contradicts  itself  in  the  Bible,  nature  and  history. 
I  consider  everything  which  is  of  human  origin 
Hable  to  mistakes.  And  though  I  have  found 
many  doctrines  and  opinions  in  the  works  of 
antiquity  to  which  I  am  opposed,  I  nevertheless 
venerate  these  incomparable  treasures  for  their 
great  value  as  a  whole.  But  when  the  Talmud 
comes  into  conflict  with  the  facts  of  natural 
philosophy,  or  with  events  as  expressed  in  history, 
and  their  natural  results,  I  am  fearless  on  the  side 
of  truth,  hence  when  the  Talmud  imposes  upon 
us  doctrines  or  observances  of  ceremonies  which 
are  foreign  to  the  Bible  and  which  infected  us  for 
many  centuries  with  the  spirit  of  intolerance 
and  separation,  which  degraded  religion  into  a 
compendium  of  blind  and  insignificant  rites, 
which  depressed  the  youthful  spirit  of  Judaism 
and  drove  thousands  from  our  community,  or 
when  the  Talmud  comes  into  conflict  with  the 
demands  of  our  age,   which,   if  listened  to,   will 


The  Second  Albany  Period       115 

bring  distraction  and  ruin  in  its  train,  then  I  am 
feariess  on  the  side  of  reform;  and  if  thousands  of 
learned  or  not  learned  doctors  say  'The  Talmud 
is  Divine'  I  must  a  thousand  times  pity  them 
that  they  do  not  look  deeper  into  the  matter,  or 
that  they  lack  the  moral  courage  to  speak  the 
truth." 

In  the  February,  1851,  Occident  "^  he  continues 
the  argument  and  lays  down  the  four  leading  ideas 
of  Judaism:  "Judaism  is  based  on  four  leading 
ideas,  and  has  therefore  four  principles  with  which 
all  doctrines,  dogmas,  maxims,  ceremonies,  and 
observances  must  correspond  as  consequences 
with  their  respective  causes,  otherwise  must  be 
rejected  as  anti- Jewish  and  foreign  to  our  system. 
These  four  are:  (i)  One  God;  (2)  Man  the  image 
of  God;  (3)  Man  accountable  to  God;  (4)  God 
has  chosen  Israel  to  promulgate  these  divine  and 
sublime  truths  to  mankind  at  large.  These  four 
truths  are  plainly  announced  in  the  Pentateuch, 
re-echoed  by  the  Psalmist  and  by  each  of  the 
Prophets.  Nature  and  history"  do  not  contradict 
them,  but  they  are  the  living  witnesses,  they  bear 
the  strongest  evidence  to  verity  of  all  these  four 
dogmas,  and  every  Jew  believes  them  and  defends 
them  with  his  life,  liberty,  and  property;  and  if  he 

^  Vol.  viii.,  p.  541. 


ii6  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

ceases  to  do  so  he  has  ceased  to  be  a  Jew.  I  shall 
not  enter  upon  philosophical  evidences  to  prove 
the  correctness  of  these  main  dogmas.  [Here  is 
appended  a  note :  "  I  have  done  so  in  a  large  work 
which  lies  completely  finished  on  my  desk,  the  want 
of  pecuniary  means  and  the  efforts  of  my  oppo- 
nents to  decry  me  as  a  base  denier  of  our  faith 
have  prevented  me  from  publishing  it.  Better 
times  will  come  and  with  them  the  means  to  pub- 
lish my  manuscript."]  I  shall  only  take  under 
consideration  the  consequences  of  these  principles. 
The  consequences  of  the  first  are  of  immense 
importance.  There  is  not  only  no  religion  without 
God,  but  also  no  moral  law,  no  virtue,  no  real 
humanity,  no  hope,  no  real  existence.  If  this 
universe  has  no  moral  government  then  there  is 
no  reason  for  man  to  submit  to  the  government  of 
laws ;  and  morality  and  virtue  are  nothing  but  the 
selfish  invention  of  selfish  man  to  suit  his  conve- 
nience, to  satisfy  his  vain  imagination  to  the  detri- 
ment of  the  freedom  of  all  others.  Our  views  of 
right  and  wrong,  about  morality  and  immorality, 
about  virtue  and  vice,  are  altogether  derived  from 
our  views  with  regard  to  God,  wherefore  it  is  by 
no  means  a  matter  of  indifference  what  one  thinks 
relative  to  God.  Our  doctrines  about  God,  as 
the   Bible   gives   them,    are   therefore   the   best. 


The  Second  Albany  Period       117 

because  they  are  the  truest  and  the  most  sublime 
and  the  best  foundation  for  religion  and  morality. 
The  Islam,  no  less  than  Christianity,  could  not 
avoid  adopting  our  doctrines,  and  what  they  added 
to  them  only  disfigures  the  perfect  and  exalted 
ideas  of  the  Bible." 

In  the  third  article^  he  writes  concerning  im- 
mortality: "The  soul  of  man  is  immortal  and  can 
exist  and  does  exist  with  the  body,  but  the  body 
of  man  is  subject  to  mortaHty  and  cannot  exist 
in  its  proper  functions  without  the  soul.  The 
dogma  of  immortality  of  the  body  is  not  biblical, 
but  Talmudical. "  Wise  then  states  that  there 
can  be  no  bodily  resurrection  because  there  is 
no  room,  the  number  of  inhabitants  constantly 
increasing.  On  this  article  the  editor  of  the 
Occident  commented  as  follows:  "We  do  not 
know  that  in  our  editorial  career  we  have  given 
publication  to  an  article  with  more  pain  and  un- 
willingness than  in  laying  the  above  letter  *  On  the 
Resurrection '  before  our  readers.  Dr.  Wise  speaks 
out  plainly  enough  that  he  does  not  believe  in  it, 
and  that  he  is  satisfied  with  the  philosophical  im- 
mortality of  the  soul  as  all-sufficient  in  Judaism." 

The  fifth  and  last  article  was  printed  in  the 
July,    1851,    Occideiit.''    He    writes:    "Doctrines 

'  Occident,  vol.  ix.,  April,  1851.  '  Ibid.,  p.  298. 


ii8  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

which  are  opposed  by  sound  common  sense,  by 
the  very  facts  of  nature,  by  the  Bible  itself, 
aroused  the  suspicion  of  rational  men,  and  they 
rejected  not  doctrines  alone  but  the  whole  systems 
of  which  they  form  a  part,  made  hundreds  of 
indifferent  spectators  to  our  sacred  cause,  caused 
others  to  overthrow  the  whole  structure  of  Judaism. 
The  time  of  a  blind  and  uninquiring  faith  is  gone 
indeed  now  with  rational  and  reasoning  men.  Lay 
your  hand  on  your  heart,  be  calm  and  honest,  and 
ask  yourselves  whether  you  can  justify  your  cause 
before  God,  if  coming  generations  of  Israel  will  be 
lost  to  our  sacred  cause,  because  you  imposed  on 
them  doctrines  which  caused  them  to  reject  the 
whole  system?  I  could  not.  Or  do  you  think  a 
generation  grown  up  in  a  free  and  enlightened 
country  will  not  do  so?  I  do  not,  and  therefore 
I  think  it  my  sacred  mission  to  teach  an  enlight- 
ened and  pure  Judaism  to  remove  as  much  mysti- 
cism as  possible  from  the  system  of  our  faith;  to 
give  as  much  rational  evidence  for  it  as  I  can 
bring  forward,  and  if  I  am  wrong  I  am  honest,  and 
God  will  not  judge  me  too  severely.  But  as  for 
man,  none  is  my  judge  in  a  case  in  which  I  have 
to  plead  but  before  God,  nor  will  their  fanatical 
endeavour  frighten  or  hinder  me  in  the  least.  And 
so  I  abandon  the  dispute,  and  I  hope  my  name 


The  Second  Albany  Period       119 

will  be  mentioned  no  longer  in  American  Jewish 
journals,  nor  will  I  reply  to  any  charge  brought 
against  me.  I  shall  henceforth  piu-sue  my  way  with- 
out journals.  I  can  easily  forgive  you  (editor  of  the 
Occident)  for  the  injuries  you  have  done  me,  and  I 
pity  you,  and  I  hope  the  day  is  not  far  distant 
when  the  Occident  will  advocate  the  doctrines  of  re- 
form. I  will  remain  an  honest  friend  of  Isaac  Leeser, 
but  with  the  editor  of  -the  Occident  I  am  done. 
"WTierefore  I  bid  a  hearty  farewell  to  the  reader. " 

The  editor  of  the  Occident  prints  the  following 
note  to  this  article:  "We  acknowledge  boldly  that 
we  meant  to  convey  the  idea  that  those  who  deny 
the  two  doctrines  (the  coming  of  a  personal  Mes- 
siah and  the  bodily  resurrection  of  the  dead)  in 
question  are  not  fit  to  be  Jewish  ministers,  and 
why?  Because  they  have  no  right  to  employ 
the  Prayer  Book  and  read  the  Scriptures  to  the 
people  in  a  sense  different  from  what  the  ostensible 
words  seem  to  convey.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
follow  Dr.  Wise  step  by  step.  But  we  may  say 
that  we  do  not  insinuate  that  our  epistle  has  caused 
Dr.  Wise  to  retract.  We  only  wish  that  he  had 
done  so  and  thus  aided  lis  to  heal  the  breach  which 
German  reformers  have  produced  in  four  congrega- 
tions in  this  country."  (Charleston,  New  York, 
Baltimore,  and  Albany.) 


120  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Thereafter  Wise  did  not  write  for  the  Occident, 
but  that  paper  continued  to  print  accounts  of  his 
many  activities.  During  the  winter  of  1851, 
undisturbed  in  his  rabbinical  duties,  he  was  able 
to  devote  much  time  to  the  study  of  the  history 
and  philosophy  of  the  Middle  Ages  and  at  that 
time  had  determined  to  write  a  history  of  the 
Middle  Ages. 

During  the  last  week  of  June,  1851,  Wise 
officiated  as  chaplain  in  the  New  York  State  Sen- 
ate. He  was  the  second  Jew  in  the  United  States 
to  open  a  legislative  body  with  prayer.  The 
first  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Eckman,  of  Richmond, 
Virginia,  who  officiated  as  chaplain  in  the  Virginia 
legislature  in  1850.  Dr.  Wise's  first  prayer  is 
worthy  of  being  reproduced  as  a  model  of  brevity 
and  good  taste,  and  is  evidence  of  his  intense 
Americanism  and  patriotism  ^ : 

"Lord  of  Hosts,  Rock  of  Salvation,  whose  un- 
limited power,  wisdom,  and  love  are  revealed  in  the 
innumerable  millions  of  creatures  that  populate 
the  universe,  whose  providence,  special  care,  and 
benignity  is  revealed  in  every  page  of  the  history 
of  nations,  hear  our  supplications,  listen  graciously 
to  our  petitions  that  we  offer  up  unto  Thee  in 
behalf  of  our  beloved  country  and  her  faithful 

'  Asmonean,  vol.  iv.,  No.  12,  July  9,  1851. 


The  Second  Albany  Period        121 

legislators  who  have  assembled  again  to  give  us 
laws  and  regulations  to  the  promotion  of  liberty, 
prosperity,  justice,  and  humanity.  O  Lord,  Thou 
who  hast  inspired  and  assisted  our  ancestors  when 
they  arose  lion-hearted  against  their  oppressors 
and  bought  for  the  warm  blood  of  their  hearts  the 
liberty  and  independence  of  these  United  States. 
Inspire,  our  Father,  O,  inspire  our  legislature  with 
the  same  spirit  of  truth  and  justice,  with  the  same 
love  of  liberty  and  independence,  with  the  same 
desire  to  promote  happiness  and  prosperity 
among  these  fellow  citizens;  remove  prejudice, 
partiality,  and  factional  endeavours  from  every 
mind ;  give  unto  them  the  same  spirit  as  the  vener- 
able fathers  of  this  republic  manifested,  let  them 
be  freely  united  in  the  discharge  of  the  sacred  duty 
to  their  country  that  she  may  bloom  and  prosper 
before  Thee ;  that  she  may  be  an  example  of  liberty, 
equity,  and  humanity;  that  she  may  be  imitated 
by  those  nations  that  still  suffer  and  sigh  under 
the  iron  rod  of  despotism;  that  her  citizens  be 
united  before  Thee  to  do  Thy  sacred  will,  to 
proclaim  Thy  holy  name.  Blessed  be  the  name 
of  the  Lord  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  from  now  to 
evermore.     Amen." 

In   the   meantime   the   new   congregation,   the 
fourth  in  number  of   reform  congregations,  but 


122  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the  first  as  far  as  activity  on  behalf  of  reform 
was  concerned,  was  prospering.  Its  membership 
steadily  increased,  and  in  the  summer  of  185 1 
steps  were  taken  to  purchase  the  Baptist  Church 
located  on  South  Pearl  Street,  at  the  head  of 
Herkimer  Street.  It  was  the  clergyman  of  this 
church  who,  in  1847,  spoke  so  fanatically  against 
the  Jews  and  Judaism. 

The  congregation  thus  came  into  possession  of 
one  of  the  largest  churches  in  the  city  of  Albany, 
containing  seats  for  nearly  a  thousand  persons. 
It  was  well  furnished,  had  an  organ  and  family 
pews,  schoolrooms  and  vestry  room.  During  the 
remodelling  it  was  decided  to  introduce  another 
important  reform,  the  first  of  its  kind  in  the  United 
States,'  namely,  the  retention  of  the  family  pews 
where  men  and  women  could  sit  together.  This 
innovation  was  soon  adopted  by  all  Jewish 
reform  and  many  conservative  congregations  in 
this  country.  This  important  step  was  severely 
condemned.  Heretofore  the  Jewish  woman  had 
been  treated  almost  as  a  stranger  in  the  synagogue, 
she  had  been  excluded  from  all  participation  in 
congregational  life.     Today  she  is  the  mainstay  of 

'  In  Germany  in  Reform  Synagogues,  although  the  women's 
gallery  no  longer  exists,  the  men  and  women  occupy  separate 
pews. 


The  Second  Albany  Period       123 

religious  and  congregational  life  of  the  Jews,  and 
her  emancipation  was  begun  in  Albany  when  Wise 
formed  his  choir  of  boys  and  girls,  and  her  influ- 
ence increased  when  she  was  permitted  to  wor- 
ship, on  an  equality  with  her  father,  husband, 
and  brother.  The  formal  dedication  of  the  new 
synagogue  took  place  October  3,  1851.  The 
state  and  city  officials  attended.  Rev.  Dr.  Max 
Lilienthal  delivered  an  oration  in  German,  and 
Dr.  Wise  spoke  in  English,  his  text  being.  Psalm 
84,  1-5.  In  his  Reminiscences  he  writes  as 
follows ' : 

"It  was  a  day  of  ecstatic  enthusiasm  for  us,  an 
hour  of  atonement  and  heartfelt  rapprochement 
between  the  Jews  and  the  most  cultiired  non-Jews 
of  the  city  of  Albany.  It  was  perhaps  the  first 
time  in  America  that  progressive  Judaism  had 
had  an  opportunity  to  speak  forth  its  doctrines 
in  earnest  fiery  words  which  were  reproduced  a 
hundredfold  and  spread  broadcast.  The  temple 
became  the  centre  for  all  Jews  and  all  lib- 
eral non-Jews.  Naturally  the  jubilation  among 
the  temple  people  was  inexpressible  at  their 
scarcely  credible  success  after  but  one  year's 
existence." 

Shortly   after   the   dedication  came  the  great 

'  Reminiscences,  pp.  210-214. 


124  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

holiday,  the  Day  of  Atonement.  "The  differ- 
ence," writes  Dr.  Wise,  "between  the  two  days  in 
the  years  1850  and  1851  was  so  great  that  I  spoke 
on  the  evening  of  Yom  Kippur  before  God  and  the 
congregation  in  so  inspired  and  inspiring  a  manner 
that  I  have  never  succeeded  in  equalling  it  since. 
I  saw  God's  favour  revealed  in  peace,  joy,  progress, 
and  enthusiasm,  and  I  thanked  and  praised  him 
from  the  depth  of  my  soul.  I  tried  to  write 
down  the  sermon  on  the  following  day,  but  I 
did  not  succeed.  The  enthusiasm  born  of  the 
moment  cannot  be  committed  to  paper  later.  I 
could  retain  the  shadow  only,  the  spirit  had 
flown." 

The  new  congregation  continued  to  worship  in 
this  temple  for  nearly  thirty-five  years.  In  1875 
it  was  enlarged.  Soon  thereafter  the  enlarged 
temple  became  inadequate,  and  the  building  of  a 
new  temple  was  agitated.  In  1884  the  congre- 
gation Beth  El  was  without  a  minister  and  a  move- 
ment to  unite  the  two  congregations  was  successful. 
On  December  i,  1885,  the  new  congregation,  Beth 
Emeth,  was  incorporated,  and  on  May  23,  1889, 
the  present  handsome  temple  on  Lancaster,  Severn, 
and  Jay  streets  was  dedicated. 

Rabbi  Wise,  then  in  his  seventy-first  year,  took 
part    in    the    ceremonies.     Almost    forty    years 


The  Second  Albany  Period       125 

before  he  was  the  rock  upon  which  the  two  con- 
gregations had  split,  and  it  must  undoubtedly 
have  been  a  great  satisfaction  to  him  to  take  part 
in  the  reunion. 


CHAPTER   IX 

LAST  YEARS  IN  ALBANY — FIRST  EDITORIAL  WORK — 
A  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1851,  Wise  began 
to  take  an  active  interest  in  public  affairs.  His 
patriotism  was  aroused  by  the  revolutions  of  1848, 
but  soon  thereafter  he  was  disappointed  because 
of  their  failure.  In  1851,  Louis  Kossuth  came  to 
this  country  to  secure  assistance  for  his  oppressed 
fellow  countrymen  of  Hungary,  and  Wise  became 
the  secretary  of  the  Albany  Kossuth  Society. 
When  he  delivered  a  public  lecture  on  Kossuth's 
politics  he  was  "received  with  thundering  ap- 
plause. "  He  had  been  advised  that  it  was  highly 
improper  for  him  as  a  minister  to  discuss  political 
topics  and  therefore  he  prefaced  his  lecture  with 
the  following  remarks:  "Had  I  the  eloquence  of 
Demosthenes,  of  Cicero,  of  Kossuth,  the  power  of 
Caesar,  of  Napoleon,  of  Francis  Joseph,  had  I 
the  wealth  of  Croesus,  of  the  Rothschilds,  I  would 

gladly  devote  them  to  the  cause  which  Louis  Kos- 

126 


First  Editorial  Work  127 

suth  pleads  before  us,  for  it  is  the  liberty  of  Hun- 
gary, of  Italy,  of  Germany,  of  Europe,  of  the 
whole  globe,  and  liberty  is  the  germ  of  morals, 
the  mother  of  revealed  religion,  the  muse  of  virtue, 
the  requisite  of  prosperity,  the  fairest  and  loveliest 
daughter  of  heaven. "  ^ 

In  1851-52  the  treatment  of  the  Jews  in  Switzer- 
land and  especially  in  the  Catholic  cantons  called 
forth  a  vigorous  protest  from  Wise,  and  in  the 
issue  of  the  Asmonea?t,  May  28,  1852,^  appears 
"A  call  to  the  American  Israelites"  to  take  united 
action  and  to  request  Congress  to  interfere  in 
behalf  of  the  oppressed  Jews.  This  "call"  is 
interesting  as  showing  Wise's  organizing  ability, 
and  is  likewise  the  first  of  his  many  efforts  upon 
behalf  of  the  oppressed  Jews  in  foreign  lands.  He 
calls  on  all  the  Jews  to  meet  in  their  respective 
synagogues  to  appoint  delegates  to  meet  in  New 
York  to  prepare  a  suitable  petition  to  be  presented 
to  "  Congress,  requesting  our  government  to  protest 
against  the  illegal,  inhuman,  and  degrading  laws 
which  have  been  thrust  upon  our  brethren.  Let 
everyone  exert  himself  to  have  it  (petition)  signed 
by  as  many  of  our  fellow  citizens  of  other  creeds 
who  feel  kindly  disposed  toward  an  oppressed  and 
suffering  people.     Congress  will  regard  the  prayer 

»  Asmonean,  vol.  v.,  Dec.  19,  1851.  '  Vol.  vi.,  No.  6. 


128  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

of  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  faithful  citizens 
and  the  powerful  word  of  our  government  will 
check  the  enemies  of  Israel.  The  congregations 
who  cannot  send  delegates  to  New  York  should 
appoint  residents  in  New  York  to  represent  them. 
Hold  meetings  and  report  immediately  to  the 
public  press  and  let  us  come  before  Congress 
before  the  close  of  the  present  session."  Five 
years  later  Wise  took  a  prominent  part  in  protest- 
ing against  the  laws  of  certain  cantons  which  dis- 
criminated against  the  American  Jews.  This 
will  be  considered  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

Wise  had  written  in  the  Occident,  July,  1851,' 
"I  shall  henceforth  pursue  my  way  without 
journals."  But  his  nature  was  such  that  he  could 
not  refrain  from  appearing  in  public  print.  With- 
in a  year  he  published  his  views  on  the  Swiss 
question  and  in  September,  1852,  he  was  invited 
to  take  charge  of  "The  Theological  and  Philo- 
sophical Department  of  the  Asmonean.'"  In  the 
issue  of  September  10,  1852,^  appears  the  following 
announcement:  "According  to  an  agreement 
made  between  the  editor  of  the  Asmojtean  and  my 
humble  self,  I  have  taken  charge  of  the  theological 
and  philosophical  department  of  this  paper,  and 
I  deem  it  my  duty  to  inform  the  public  of  the 

'  Vol,  ix.,  pp.  303-304.  '  Vol.  vi.,  No.  21. 


First  Editorial  Work  129 

leading  principles  which  will  guide  me  in  my 
task. 

"Judaism  has  to  struggle  against  two  adversaries, 
viz.,  Ignorance  and  Prejudice.  The  Jew  who  is 
ignorant  of  the  principles  and  doctrines  of  Judaism 
and  its  history  cannot  be  a  pious  Jew.  The  non- 
Jew  who  does  not  possess  a  correct  knowledge  of 
our  religion  is  our  fiercest  opponent.  It  will  be 
my  endeavour  in  the  first  place  to  promulgate 
correct  information  on  Jewish  learning,  I  shall 
attempt  to  remove  the  veil  from  the  source  of 
Jewish  literature  and  to  open  the  fountains  of  our 
history  so  that  its  pure  waters  may  spout  forth 
and  satisfy  the  calm  and  reasoning  readers.  I 
am  a  republican  and  consequently  an  independ- 
ent man,  and  acknowledge  every  man's  right  to  his 
own  opinion,  and  I  am  not  vexed  if  my  views  are 
gainsaid  by  others,  wherefore  I  shall  utter  truth 
boldly  and  only  notice  arguments  of  opponents  for 
refutation.  Especial  care  will  be  bestowed  upon 
the  history  of  our  nation  about  which  the  German 
Jews  have  written  so  much  and  so  well. " 

The  editor  of  the  Asmonean  says  in  this  same 
number:  "The  liberal  sentiments  of  Dr.  Wise  and 
his  open,  fearless  method  of  discussing  questions 
having  placed  him  in  the  front  rank  of  reformers, 
it  becomes  necessary  to  say  and  repeat  in  order 


130  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

that  there  should  be  no  misunderstanding  on  this 
point  that  Dr.  Wise's  position  will  not  interfere 
with  the  management  or  control  of  the  paper.  It 
will  still  continue  'open  to  all  and  influenced  by 
none.'"  Wise  had  now  obtained  what  he  had 
long  wished  for,  "an  organ"  in  which  he  could 
freely  express  his  views  and  answer  his  opponents. 
During  the  eighteen  months  that  he  was  con- 
nected with  the  Asmonean  he  contributed  many 
scholarly  articles.  It  was  Wise's  habit  now,  as 
well  as  later,  to  write  articles  which  could  be 
published  in  book  form  afterwards.  Among  the 
longer  essays  printed  were  The  Bath  Qol,  included 
later  in  his  Origin  of  Christianity,  a  biography  of  the 
first  Hillel  as  the  precursor  of  Jesus,  and  the  Jewish 
Constitution  based  upon  the  Code  of  Maimonides. 
There  were  also  translations  from  learned  German 
publicists,  e.  g.,  "The  Chapter  on  the  Book  of 
Chronicles,"  in  Zunz's  Gottesdienstliche  vortraege  der 
Juden,  Geiger's  Divan  des  Jehiida  Halevi,  Frankel's 
der  Gerichtliche  Beweis,  and  translations  of  the 
various  writings  of  Rappaport,  Luzzatto,  Kroch- 
mal,  Holdheim,  Jost,  and  Graetz.  There  also 
appeared  almost  every  week  a  rabbinical  legend 
from  the  Talmud  or  Midrash,  translated  from  the 
original.  A  department  of  foreign  news  was  like- 
wise instituted  by  him. 


First  Editorial  Work  131 

In  his  article,  "The  American  Synagogue  as  It 
Is,  "^  he  points  out  that  the  chief  fault  is  the  lack  of 
educated  ministers  and  teachers,  which  can  be 
remedied  by  securing  better  educated  preachers: 
"The  preacher  must  know  and  master  the  whole 
of  the  Hebrew  literature,  both  bibHcal  and  Tal- 
mudical,  for  he  must  be  thoroughly  versed  in  the 
religion  he  expounds.  To  such  congregations  who 
do  not  feel  able  or  inclined  to  pay  the  salary  to 
those  men  (rabbi  and  cantor),  but  still  wish  to 
have  a  competent  minister  who  instructs  in  the 
synagogue  and  in  the  school,  we  have  to  offer  the 
following  plan:  AboHsh  all  sorts  of  singing  and 
chanting  in  so  far  as  the  minister  is  connected  w4th 
it  and  let  him  read  only  the  prayers  and  the  weekly 
section  of  the  Bible  without  making  himself 
ridiculous  by  peculiar  and  antiquated  chanting 
and  singing.  This  is  a  change  to  which  none 
can  offer  any  material  objection,  for  in  our  day 
none  is  superstitious  enough  to  think  that  God 
will  be  less  pleased  or  the  heart  of  the  worshipper 
less  edified  if  antiquated  tunes  are  abolished.  If 
the  service  is  too  long  so  that  one  cannot  read  the 
whole  of  it  and  deliver  his  sermon,  then  shorten 
it,  omit  such  prayers  as  Piutim,  which  are  of  later 
origin.     In  shortening  your  service  you  will  derive 

'  Asmonean,  vol.  vi.,  No,  25,  1852. 


132.  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the  following  benefits:  (a)  That  one  minister  can 
read  the  service  and  preach  without  fatigue,  and 
you  save  the  expense  of  paying  two  salaries;  (b) 
You  will  not  be  fatigued  and  worried  in  the  house 
of  the  Lord  by  a  service  which  lasts  two  to  three 
hours;  (c)  You  will  be  able  to  maintain  a  proper 
decorum  in  the  synagogue.  The  most  of  the 
congregations  are  desirous  of  employing  a  minister 
who  can  preach  in  the  English  language,  and  this 
is  both  laudatory  and  praiseworthy.  We  hate 
exclusiveness  and  separateness ;  we  are  none  of 
those  partisans  who  wish  to  maintain  the  German 
element  or  any  sectional  element  in  this  country; 
the  German  governments  especially  have  not 
treated  either  us  or  our  forefathers  so  very  ami- 
cably that  we  should  feel  so  much  inclined  to 
remain  Germans,  or  educate  our  children  as 
patriotic  Germans;  we  are  disposed  to  fraternize 
with  a  nation  which  first  offered  a  brotherly  hand 
to  persecuted  Israelites,  and  this  nation,  America, 
uses  the  English  language,  therefore  we  invariably 
endeavour  to  speak  English  at  home,  in  our 
schools,  and  in  our  synagogues.  We  feel  no  regret 
in  abandoning  a  language  in  which  we  heard  and 
felt  the  terms  Judenhass  and  Judenverjolgung 
and  Judenverachtung  (hatred,  persecution,  and 
contempt  of  the  Jews)  for  the  language  of  a  nation 


First  Editorial  Work  133 

whose  dictionary  is  not  polluted  by  such  low  terms. 
In  this  case  we  again  believe  we  give  utterance  to 
the  voice  of  the  people,  for  it  is  generally  noticed 
at  the  end  of  advertisements  'None  need  apply 
who  is  not  a  thorough  English  scholar.'" 

In  the  Asmonean  of  October  22,  1852, '  he  writes 
on  "Congregational  Schools,"  and  the  following 
quotations  show  his  intense  Americanism  and  pa- 
triotism; "If  anything  like  sectarian  religion  is 
taught  in  the  public  schools  the  Israelites  should 
complain  and  the  school  board  is  bound  in  duty  to 
hear  and  redress  the  wrong.  As  citizens  we  must 
not  be  distinct  from  the  rest,  in  religion  only  are  we 
Jews,  and  in  all  other  respects  we  are  American 
citizens.  And  therefore  we  must  have  religious 
schools  in  which  the  Hebrew  language,  Bible 
catechism,  etc.,  is  taught  by  competent  teachers, 
but  do  not  entirely  withdraw  your  children  from 
the  public  schools. " 

The  following,  taken  from  an  article  on  the 
"Parties  in  Israel,"^  is  interesting  as  throwing  light 
on  his  reform  views:  "On  the  whole  it  ought  to 
be  said  the  American  Jews  are  divided  into  ultra- 
orthodox  and  reform  congregations;  the  latter  of 
which  are  the  most  numerous.     The  parties  do 

'  Vol.  vi.,  No.  27. 

*  Asmonean,  vol.  vi.,  Dec.  lo,  1852. 


134  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

not  understand  each  other  because  their  leaders 
have  not  the  moral  courage  to  enter  upon  the 
calm  and  honourable  discussion  of  the  leading 
principles.  Reforms  go  slowly  because  the  leaders 
are  not  as  sincere  as  it  behooves  them  to  be,  and 
each  desires  to  be  greatest  without  doing  much 
for  it.  The  future  would  bring  better  results  if 
those  who  now  stand  at  the  head  of  the  parties 
would  be  devoted  enough  to  cast  off  their  private 
feelings  and  become  more  active  and  attempt  more 
earnestly  to  reconcile  the  parties  and  to  forward 
the  cause  of  Israel."  Answering  the  question, 
"What  ought  to  be  done?"  he  says:  "The  whole 
divine  worship  must  be  improved,  the  antiquated 
chants  must  be  aboHshed,  the  young  must  be 
instructed  in  the  principles  of  Judaism.  The 
living  word  must  be  restored  to  the  temple  of 
Israel  by  the  people  engaging  able,  pious,  and 
moral  preachers.  And  if  our  readers  ask  what 
else  must  be  done,  we  would  tell  them  that  those 
who  cry  out  at  noonday  'Come,  let  us  have 
midnight'  are  the  false  prophets  of  our  day  and 
must  be  silenced,  and  those  who  believe  or  are 
attempting  to  make  others  believe  that  the  Jewish 
citizens  of  this  country  will  creep  back  into  narrow 
Jewry,  wear  a  long  beard,  veil  the  face  and  cover 
the  hair  of  his  wife,  make  the  school  a  place   of 


First  Editorial  Work  135 

torture,  the  synagogue  a  place  of  ridicule,  are 
mightily  mistaken.  That  time  has  gone,  and 
happily  will  return  no  more.  We  demand  now 
the  respect  of  society  for  us  and  our  institutions; 
we  claim  the  regard  of  the  community  for  our 
religion;  we  have  an  unrestrained  intercourse  with 
the  world,  and  therefore  we  must  act  accordingly. 
Everything  that  is  not  in  accord  with  the  natural 
laws  of  morality  and  justice  must  be  shunned. 
Our  religion  and  institutions  must  be  defended 
by  competent  orators  and  sound  publications,  a 
course  more  than  all  others  that  will  secure  the 
respect  of  the  nation  of  which  we  are  citizens  and 
also  instruct  and  inspire  our  sons  and  daughters 
with  veneration  and  love  for  Judaism." 

To  assure  the  future  of  Judaism,  he  writes  in 
December  31,  1852,  issue  of  the  Asmonean:  "It 
is  necessary  for  the  congregation  to  have  a  minister 
grounded  in  ancient  and  modern  literature  cap- 
able of  expounding  Judaism;  good  schools  for  the 
young,  and  colleges  where  Jewish  literature  is 
taught  and  where  ministers  and  teachers,  as  well 
as  laymen,  may  be  educated,  and  societies  should 
be  organized  in  every  city  for  the  purpose  of 
establishing  libraries." 

In  the  January  28,  1853,  Asmonean,  under  the 
head,  "The  Necessity  for  a  Collegiate  Institution,  " 


136  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Wise  again  advances  potent  arguments.  He 
points  out  the  ignorance  of  Jewish  literature  and 
history  among  the  American  Jews:  "Therefore 
we  cannot  be  silent,"  he  says,  "when  we  see  such 
a  horrible  grave  dug  for  Judaism  which  is  much 
dearer  to  us  than  all  the  favour  of  all  the  com- 
munities in  the  world.  If  we  are  right  in  our 
views  then  a  horrible  wrong  is  being  perpetrated 
upon  the  rising  generation,  if  no  provision  be 
made  to  remedy  this  evil.  We  are  upon  a  fair 
way  to  reduce  Judaism  in  America  to  a  mere 
shadow,  and  the  synagogue  to  a  ridiculous  imita- 
tion of  what  it  should  be;  endeavours  ought  to  be 
made  to  prevent  such  a  state  of  affairs.  We 
deem  it  our  sacred  duty  to  call  upon  every  sensible 
Israelite  to  consider  this  matter  and  to  try  that 
means  be  devised  to  meet  this  evil.  We  earnestly 
call  upon  our  friends  in  every  city  of  the  Union 
to  consider  the  present  position  of  things  and  to 
reflect  what  it  will  be  in  twenty  years  or  ten  years 
hence;  where  will  they  obtain  their  teachers  and 
preachers?  Now  they  are  dependent  on  Germany 
and  Poland.  Is  such  a  dependence  to  continue, 
and  if  it  continues  will  the  crop  be  unfailing?" 

In  the  spring  of  1853  Isaac  Leeser  published  an 
article  in  the  Occident  calling  for  a  conference  of 
Israelitish  Clergy.     Wise  opposed  such  a  gather- 


First  Editorial  Work  137 

ing.  In  the  April  28,  1853  Asmonean,  he  wrote 
that  it  was  necessary  to  have  ministers  before 
you  could  have  a  conference  of  ministers.  "The 
conference  might  have  the  effect  of  instituting  an 
ecclesiastical  authority  of  one  or  more  men.  That 
is  exactly  the  thing  we  hate  to  see  or  have  proposed 
under  existing  circumstances." 

Wise  continued  to  write  for  ihQ  Asmonean  until 
his  departure  for  Cincinnati  in  April,  1854.  ^^~ 
sides  his  hterary  and  historical  articles  of  which 
mention  has  been  made,  he  wrote  articles  in  which 
he  dwelt  upon  the  necessity  for  a  college  for  the 
education  of  the  Jewish  youth.  On  August  19, 
1853,  the  Asmonean  printed  an  article,  "Plan 
for  a  Hebrew  College."  Although  it  was  twenty 
years  before  his  cherished  plans  and  hopes  were 
realized,  it  is  remarkable  with  what  detail  he  had 
worked  out  the  scheme  in  1853. 

"Such  a  college,"  he  writes,  "must  be  located 
in  the  city  which  is  in  possession  of  good  libraries, 
hence  where  a  good  university,  or  college,  or 
academy  exists,  so  that  the  students  by  an  ar- 
rangement with  the  directors  are  enabled  to  study 
there  all  the  branches  of  mathematics,  physical 
sciences,  and  the  general  branches  of  belles  lettres, 
the  commercial  sciences,  and  the  classical  studies. 
All  the  remaining  professorships  would  be  these: 


y 


138  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

(i)  One  for  the  Bible,  its  commentaries  and  He- 
brew languages;  (2)  One  for  the  Alishna,  Talmud 
and  Aramaic  languages;  (3)  One  for  history  of 
the  Israelitish  people  and  its  literatiire;  (4)  One 
for  rhetoric,  logic,  and  moral  and  mental  philo- 
sophy; (5)  One  for  Pedagogics,  etc.  More  than 
five  or  six  professors  would  not  be  required  for  the 
commencement. " 

His  optimism  is  seen  in  the  statement  that  the 
necessary  money  for  the  building  and  the  library 
could  be  raised  very  easily.  "It  admits  of  no 
rational  doubt  that  the  matter  could  be  carried 
into  effect  if  co-operation  of  all  influential  men 
could  be  obtained.  Will  not  some  of  our  friends 
interest  themselves  on  the  subject  and  take  the 
measure  into  their  hands  ?  We  promise  our  hearty 
co-operation,  we  will  strain  all  our  feeble  nerves 
in  obtaining  support  for  the  institution.  We 
would  even  undertake  to  travel  and  see  the 
principal  congregations  of  this  country  on  the 
subject  if  the  desirable  end  could  be  reached." 
This  latter  he  did,  but  the  story  of  the  founding 
of  the  college  must  be  reserved  for  a  later  chapter. 

THE    HISTORY    OF    THE    ISRAELITISH     NATION 

With  the  organization  of  the  reform  congrega- 
tion, Anshe  Emeth,  Wise  was  able  to  devote  more 


First  Editorial  Work  139 

time  to  study.  He  had  always  felt  that  the  Jews 
of  America  should  do  some  productive  work,  and 
after  he  ceased  writing  for  the  Occideitt  in  July, 
1 85 1,  he  devoted  nearly  all  his  time  to  a  work  that 
was  published  early  in  1854,  under  the  title,  The 
History  of  the  Israelitish  Nation  from  Abraham 
to  the  Present  Time — Derived  from  Original  Sources , 
Vol.  I. 

This  first  volume  closed  with  the  destruction 
of  the  first  temple  at  Jerusalem.  He  had  intended 
at  first  to  write  a  history  of  the  Middle  Ages,  but 
yielding  to  the  solicitation  of  his  friends  he  con- 
sented to  write  a  history  of  the  Jewish  people. 
During  the  ensuing  two  years  he  worked  steadily, 
and  at  the  same  time  wrote  for  the  Asmonean, 
and  was  busily  occupied  in  the  upbuilding  of  his 
new  congregation.  After  completing  the  first 
volume  he  wrote  an  introduction  in  which  his 
views  were  clearly  set  forth.  In  this  introduction 
he  unequivocally  stated  that  miracles  do  not 
belong  to  history,  and  explained  them  as  natural 
events.  Je-^dsh  history  was  likewise  written  from 
a  democratic  standpoint.  "In  this,"  he  says,"^ 
"I  differ  from  all  my  predecessors,  hence  the 
monarchy  was  unjustified  and  contrary  to  the 
laws  of  Moses.     If  this  were  true  the  Messianic 

'  Reminiscences,  pp.  230-231. 


140  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

belief  of  both  Jews  and  Christians  was  without 
foundation,  therefore  I  had  no  reason  to  palHate 
the  faults  and  weaknesses  of  David,  Solomon,  and 
the  whole  dynasty.  I  exposed  all  the  intrigues  of 
the  court,  and  pinned  my  faith  to  the  prophets 
who  had  thundered  against  the  kingdoms  and  the 
kings.  Today  the  book  is  orthodox  in  very  truth 
as  Theodore  Parker  asserted  at  that  time;  but  at 
the  time  of  its  appearance  (1854),  it  fell  into  the 
orthodox  camps  like  a  veritable  bomb."  This 
book  contains  a  preface  of  ten  pages,  an  introduc- 
tion of  nine  pages,  and  five  hundred  and  sixty 
octavo  pages,  divided  into  five  periods  of  thirteen 
chapters.  The  main  body  of  the  book  contains 
the  political  history,  and  the  appendix  of  every 
period  contains  the  doctrines,  principles,  customs, 
and  literary  activity  of  that  particular  age.  The 
periods  are,  first,  From  the  Birth  of  Abraham  to 
the  Demise  of  Moses,  three  chapters;  second. 
From  Joshua  to  the  End  of  the  Republic  in  the 
Time  of  Samuel,  three  chapters;  third.  From  King 
Saul  to  the  Division  of  the  Kingdom,  three  chap- 
ters ;  fourth,  From  the  Division  of  the  Kingdom  to 
the  Fall  of  Samaria,  two  chapters;  and,  fifth. 
From  the  Fall  of  Samaria  to  the  Fall  of  Jerusalem, 
two  chapters.  In  the  preface  and  introduction 
are  given  the  names  of  the  works  the  author  con- 


First  Editorial  Work  141 

suited  in  his  studies.  To  appreciate  the  hostile 
criticisms  with  which  the  book  was  received  by  the 
orthodox  it  is  necessary  to  quote  from  the  intro- 
duction, pages  15-16:  "The  difficulty  which  we 
encoimtered  on  the  threshold  in  the  writing  of 
this  volume  is  this:  The  facts  preserved  in  the 
Scriptures  are  surrounded  by  doctrines  and  mira- 
cles, so  that  it  often  becomes  difficult  to  say  which 
belongs  to  the  province  of  history.  .  .  .  We 
have  proceeded  upon  the  following  principle: 
History  is  distinguished  from  religion  and  theology 
as  the  ideas  of  knowing  and  believing.  History 
records  what  is  established  by  the  criterion  of 
criticism  to  be  fact,  while  the  dogmas  and  doctrines 
of  religion  are  based  upon  faith,  not  admitting  of 
the  rigid  application  of  criticism.  Rational  theo- 
logy itself  cannot  proceed  beyond  a  reconciliation 
of  faith  and  reason.  This,  however,  is  insufficient 
in  history,  where  evidences  are  reqmred  that  things 
actually  took  place,  where,  when,  and  how  they 
occurred. 

"The  next  distinction  between  history  and 
religion  is  tliis,  the  former  treats  of  man  and  the 
latter  of  God.  If  this  be  admitted  it  must  neces- 
sarily follow  that  miracles  do  not  belong  to  the 
province  of  history.  Miracles  can  be  wrought  by 
God  only,   and  history  records  what  men  have 


142  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

done.  The  historian  may  believe  the  miracles, 
but  he  has  no  right  to  incorporate  them  in 
history.   .    .   . 

"Doctrines  are  not  of  themselves  a  part  of 
history ;  they  are  of  importance  only  so  far  as  they 
exercise  an  influence  upon  human  actions  which 
became  a  part  of  history. 

"According  to  these  principles  we  have  adopted 
only  such  facts  as  are  able  to  stand  the  test  of 
criticism;  miracles  for  which  we  could  not  find 
common  and  natural  reasons  were  not  recorded 
by  us,  still  we  have  attempted  to  find  such  reasons 
wherever  we  could." 

This  book  was  the  result  of  long  and  painful 
study,  and  when  it  was  finished  in  the  spring  of 
1853,  Wise  took  the  manuscript  to  New  York  in 
the  hope  of  finding  a  publisher.  Despite  letters 
of  recommendation  from  Horace  Greeley  and 
William  H.  Seward,  no  publisher  was  willing  to 
accept  the  w^ork.  Not  being  able  to  find  a  pub- 
lisher he  decided  to  publish  it  himself,  and  he 
contracted  for  an  edition  of  two  thousand  copies. 
"The  contract  called  for  about  two  thousand 
dollars  more  than  I  possessed.  While  the  book 
was  in  press  I  told  my  friends  of  my  rash  under- 
taking. The  faithful  ones  who  had  stood  man- 
fully and  fraternally  by  me  in  all  my  struggles,  my 


First  Editorial  Work  143 

old  guard,  did  not  fail  me  now."^  During  the 
summer  of  1853,  Dr.  Wise  read  the  proof  of  his 
new  work.  The  History  of  the  Israelitish  Nation 
was  severely  criticized  by  Jews  and  Christians. 
Volumes  xi.  and  xii.  of  the  Occident,  and  ix.  and 
X.  of  the  Asmonean  contain  many  communica- 
tions bitterly  condemning  the  work,  and  a  few 
praising  it.  Wise  was  considered  un- Jewish,  a 
heretic,  a  German  rationalist,  etc.  Although  Dr. 
Wise  had  been  in  this  country  only  seven  years, 
the  style  of  the  book  is  very  good  and  shows  a 
remarkable  grasp  of  the  English  language. 

THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  ALBANY  CAREER 

In  September,  1853,  while  Wise  was  busy  with 
the  publication  of  his  first  book  he  received  a 
letter  written  by  Jacob  H.  Goodhart,  secretary 
pro  tern,  of  the  congregation  Bene  Yeshurun  of 
Cincinnati,  asking  upon  what  condition  he  would 
accept  election  as  rabbi  of  that  congregation.  At 
this  time  he  believed  that  his  mission  at  Albany 
had  been  accomplished.  He  was  also  depressed 
by  the  lack  of  support  he  had  received  in  the  East 
for  his  cherished  desires,  a  college  and  a  union  of 
Israelites.     Besides,  he  was  in  debt,  and  he  had  a 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  227. 


144  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

family  of  three  young  children.  Another  child, 
a  son,  Julius,  had  been  born  in  1851,  and  he 
thought  that  there  were  better  prospects  in  the 
rapidly  growing  West,  From  the  Occident  and 
the  Asmonean  he  had  heard  of  the  congregational 
activity  in  Cincinnati,  and  especially  of  the  Bene 
Yeshurun  congregation  which  had  been  organized 
by  German  Jews  in  1842,  under  whose  auspices 
there  had  been  opened  a  day  school  in  1849,  the 
Talmud  Yelodim  Institute,  which  he  hoped  would 
be  useful  in  his  efforts  to  establish  a  college. 
Easily  gaining  the  consent  of  his  wife,  he  decided 
to  go  to  Cincinnati  provided  the  congregation 
would  accept  him  on  his  own  terms.  In  order  to 
avoid  the  difficulties  and  the  disagreeable  condi- 
tions that  he  had  encountered  during  his  first 
years  at  Albany  he  determined  there  should  not 
be  a  repetition  of  such  awkward  situations,  and 
therefore  wrote  that  he  would  accept  an  election 
on  the  following  conditions,  viz.,  that  he  should 
be  elected  unanimously  and  for  life,  and  without 
trial  sermon;  that  the  salary  should  be  sufficient 
to  make  him  "independent  of  any  gifts  from  the 
rich  or  poor  members,"  and  that  he  be  permitted 
to  enter  upon  his  duties  six  months  after  his  elec- 
tion.    "I    dispatched    the    letter,"    he    writes,' 

'  Reminiscences,  p.  235. 


First  Editorial  Work  145 

"and  thought  that  if  the  congregation  accepted 
these  conditions,  it  was  sincere  in  its  desire  to 
have  me  despite  my  failures,  stupidity,  and  bad 
reputation." 

At  the  general  meeting  of  the  Bene  Yeshurun 
congregation,  October  27,  1853,  the  following 
resolution  was  unanimously  adopted:  "That  this 
congregation  elect  the  Rev.  Dr.  Isaac  M.  Wise 
during  good  behaviour  as  our  minister  and  super- 
intendent at  a  salary  of  $1,500  per  annum. "  The 
proposal  no  less  than  the  acceptance  by  the  con- 
gregation were  bold  steps  at  that  time.  Twenty- 
five  years  later  Dr.  Max  Lilienthal  said  in  the 
course  of  a  congratulatory  sermon  delivered  from 
Dr.  Wise's  pulpit:  "Jacob  Goodhart  said  to  me  in 
New  York,  'We  have  engaged  the  services  of  the 
rabbi  of  Albany  for  life. '  For  life !  That  was  a 
new  and  decisive  word  twenty-five  years  ago. 
Thanks,  a  thousand  thanks  to  your  noble  congre- 
gation who  first  uttered  these  words,  thanks  to  the 
rabbi  who  first  insisted  on  this  condition.  Minis- 
ters were  elected  but  for  one  year  and  like  poli- 
ticians had  to  flatter  and  humble  themselves  before 
every  ignoramus  who  had  a  right  to  vote  at  the 
annual  election.  And  whenever  a  man  dared  to 
show  his  self-respect,  his  superior  knowledge,  and 
the  will  to  maintain  the  dignity  of  his  clerical 
10 


146  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

office  there  arose  hydra-like  contentions  and  bitter 
animosities.  We,  the  elder  rabbis  of  this  country, 
can  tell  the  story  of  our  sadder  experiences.  But 
the  spell  was  broken  when  this  congregation  first 
of  all  said,  'I  have  betrothed  thee  unto  me  for- 
ever,' and  when  the  rabbi  and  the  congregation 
repeated  the  words  of  the  Song  of  Songs."'  In 
his  letter  of  acceptance.  Wise  wrote:  "I  am  a 
friend  of  bold  plans  and  grand  schemes,  therefore 
I  entertain  the  hope  that  the  Talmud  Yelodim 
Institute  will  in  a  few  years  realize  my  fervent 
wishes  for  a  Hebrew  college  in  which  our  national 
literature  may  flourish  alongside  of  a  classical 
and  commercial  education." 

Wise  immediately  resigned  his  position  in 
Albany  to  take  effect  in  April,  1854,  and  requested 
his  staunch  and  loyal  friends  not  to  dissuade  him 
from  going.  They  readily  acquiesced  in  his 
course,  for  they  realized  not  only  the  welfare 
of  his  family,  but  the  cause  of  reform  Judaism 
necessitated  his  acceptance. 

In  response  to  many  invitations  from  leading 
members  of  the  Cincinnati  congregation.  Wise 
visited  Cincinnati  in  December,  1853,  where  he 
spent  three  weeks  delivering  sermons  in  the  several 
congregations,    and    addressed    the    Bene    B'rith 

'  Israelite,  May  2,  1879,  vol.  xxxii,  N.  S.,  No.  18. 


First  Editorial  Work  147 

Lodge  and  other  benevolent  organizations,  and 
on  all  these  occasions  he  set  forth  his  views  on 
reform,  which  were  well  received.  This  first 
visit  to  Cincinnati  is  delightfully  described  in  his 
Reminiscences.  ^  He  was  fortunate  in  the  friends 
he  made  on  this  trip,  for  they  were  a  tower  of 
strength  to  him  during  his  early  years  in  Cincin- 
nati. 

"My  reception  seemed  hearty  and  well  meant, 
and  I  felt  at  home  at  once  in  the  Marcus  Fech- 
heimer  house.  That  very  day  and  evening  all  the 
prominent  members  of  the  congregation  visited 
me  and  welcomed  me  heartily.  It  is  difficult  to 
determine  at  this  time  (1875)  what  impression  I 
made  upon  the  people.  I  was  thin,  my  face  was 
pale,  my  eyes  were  deep-set  and  encircled  with 
blue  rings;  my  hair  was  long  and  flowing,  my 
glances  were  fiery,  my  lips  colourless,  my  figure 
bent  and  insignificant. " 

On  his  return  to  Albany  he  made  the  necessary 
preparations  for  his  removal  to  Cincinnati  in  the 
following  April.  In  January,  1854,  a  second 
daughter,  his  fourth  surviving  child,  Ida,  now 
Mrs.  Henry  Berheim,  of  Cincinnati,  was  born. 

During  the  winter  of  1854  when  he  and  his  book 
were  being  so  bitterly  attacked  he  offered  to  release 

^  Pp.  239-250. 


148  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the   Cincinnati   congregation   from   its   contract, 
but  the  offer  was  refused. 

He  continued  to  write  weekly  for  the  As7nonean, 
and  he  pubHshed  some  very  instructive  and  valu- 
able articles.  In  the  first  chapter  of  this  book  the 
articles,  "Recollections  of  Bohemia"  are  reprinted 
and  it  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  he  did  not 
write  the  sequel,  "Recollections  of  Prague," 
which  undoubtedly  would  have  contained  much 
biographical  material. 

His  attitude  towards  women  is  well  expressed 
in  an  article,'  "The  Confirmation  and  Bar- 
mitzvah. "  In  this  he  defends  the  Confirmation 
which  is  the  ceremony  in  which  both  boys  and 
girls  participated,  whereas  only  boys  took  part  in 
the  Barmitzvah.  "We  leave  it  to  the  reader  to 
decide  whether  this  reform  was  right  and  good, 
or  uncalled  for,  at  the  same  time  we  can  not  re- 
strain ourselves  from  entering  our  complaints  on 
behalf  of  our  female  friends,"  he  writes.  "Is  it 
not  an  insolence  that  men  say  in  their  morning 
prayers,  'Blessed  art  thou,  etc.,  that  thou  hast  not 
made  me  a  woman.'  Is  it  not  an  offence  to  their 
mothers,  wives,  sisters,  and  daughters,  and  if  it 
should  not  be  said,  why  should  it  be  printed? 
[In  the  Prayer  Book.]     Is  it  not  a  rudeness  of  the 

'  Asmonean,  vol.  ix.,  No.  23. 


First  Editorial  Work  149 

meanest  kind  that  a  female  is  considered  as  a 
nobody  in  respect  to  person  in  religious  affairs,  not 
only  in  the  synagogue,  but  in  the  family  circle? 
This  is  one  of  the  '  established '  absurdities,  this  is 
evidently  the  mildest  name  we  can  find  for  it,  "^ 

On  April  19,  1854,  the  last  day  of  Passover, 
Wise  delivered  his  farewell  address  before  the 
congregation  Anshe  Emeth.  ' '  I  will  not  attempt 
to  describe  the  scene,"  he  writes  in  his  Reminis- 
cences.'^ "It  was  a  day  of  mourning;  I  was  at- 
tached to  Albany  with  all  the  fibres  of  my  heart. 
It  was  my  first  home  in  the  new  world.  I  had 
so  many  true  and  tried  friends  in  the  old  city  on 
the  Hudson.  Every  child,  every  tree  was  dear  to 
me,  but  my  school-days  were  over,  I  had  to  go  out 
into  the  world.  I  had  attended  two  schools  in 
Albany  for  nearly  eight  years;  the  school  of  ex- 
perience, of  bitter  struggles  and  brilliant  triumphs, 
and  the  school  of  learning,  whose  lessons  I  had 
learned  with  tireless  industry.  I  had  no  fortune, 
but  I  was  very  rich;  I  had  many  warm  friends,  a 
wife  and  four  children,  much  self-reliance,  and  a 
firm  faith  in  God  and  the  truth.  A  dreaming 
optimist,  an  idealist  such  as  I  always  was  requires 
no  more  than  this  to  be  happy."  The  congrega- 
tion passed  resolutions  of  appreciation  of  his  ser- 

'  See  infra,  page  363.  *  P.  251. 


150  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

vices.      They  were  printed  in  the  Asmonean  of 
March  24,  1854,  and  also  in  the  Occident. 

Wise  left  for  Syracuse  en  route  to  Cincinnati  on 
April  20,  1854.  His  brother-in-law,  Edward  Bloch, 
was  to  meet  him  with  Mrs.  Wise  and  the  children 
at  Rochester  several  days  later.  Having  missed 
the  train  at  Rochester  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the 
Asmonean,  dated  April  25,  which  appeared  in  the 
April  28,  1854,  issue.  It  was  his  last  regular  con- 
tribution, as  he  had  severed  his  connection  with 
that  paper  a  few  weeks  before.  In  this  letter  he 
writes :  ' '  The  last  sounds  of  my  friends  in  Albany 
still  re-echo  in  my  heart,  and  if  I  was  able  to  give 
utterance  to  my  sentiment  I  could  write  you  a 
touching  and  beautiful  letter.  Allow  me,  my 
dear  sir,  a  small  space  in  the  Asmonean  to  assure 
my  friends  in  Albany  that  if  my  success  were  and 
will  be  of  any  value  to  the  house  of  Israel,  the 
thanks  for  it  are  due  to  the  Albanians,  for  without 
their  faithful  attachment  and  support  I  would  have 
been  obliged  three  years  ago  to  have  quit  my 
position  and  entered  upon  the  legal  profession. 
'This  country  congregation, '  as  Isaac  Leeser  styled 
them,  consists  of  men  who  adhere  to  the  principles 
which  I  advocated ;  they  adhered  consistently  to 
those  principles  under  all  circumstances. " 

This  communication  contains  an  early  reference 


First  Editorial  Work  151 

to  the  idea  of  circuit  preaching  among  the  Jews. 
"Why  can  not  we,"  he  writes,  "have  travelHng 
ministers  to  preach  to  such  congregations  who 
have  no  ministers  ?  If  we  had  such  Judaism  would 
prosper  much  more,  and  congregations  could  be 
organized  much  faster. " 

His  family  joined  him  at  Rochester  on  April 
24,  1854,  and  together  they  continued  their 
journey  westward.  "My  wife  was  charmed,"  he 
writes,'  "with  the  changing  scenes  through  which 
we  passed.  I  also  was  in  a  happy  frame  of  mind, 
notably  when  we  rolled  through  the  rich  and 
blooming  state  of  Ohio  on  the  25th.  All  the 
peach-,  plum-,  and  cherrry-trees  were  in  full  blos- 
som, displaying  their  pageantry  of  rich  colours  in 
the  mild  spring  sunshine.  The  fields  were  full  of 
life  and  bustle,  dotted  everywhere  with  flocks  of 
sheep  and  playful  lambs.  It  was  a  charming 
picture.  My  children  shouted  with  glee. "  On 
April  26,  1854,  h^  arrived  in  Cincinnati.  Of  the 
close  of  his  journey  he  writes:  "The  school-days 
are  over;  I  am  entering  upon  life  a  second  time. 
A  new  chapter  of  my  biography  is  opened;  what 
lies  hidden  in  the  lap  of  the  future?" 

The  following  pages  will  tell  the  story  of  that 
future  which  was  so  pre-eminently  successful. 

'  Reminiscences,  pp.  253-254. 


152  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

During  the  next  forty-six  years  of  his  Hfe  in 
Cincinnati  he  became  the  leader  and  dominating 
spirit  in  progressive  American  Judaism;  the  ablest 
and  most  prominent  reform  rabbi  in  America,  the 
editor  of  the  most  influential  Jewish  journal  in 
the  country,  the  Israelite,  later  the  American 
Israelite,  and  of  the  Die  Deborah,  a  German 
weekly,  the  organizer  of  the  Union  of  American 
Hebrew  Congregations,  the  founder  and  first 
president  of  the  Hebrew  Union  College  and  of  the 
Central  Conference  of  American  Rabbis, 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  RABBI  OF  CONGREGATION  BENE  YESHURUN 

On  April  26,  1854,  Isaac  Mayer  Wise  arrived  in 
Cincinnati,  and  during  the  next  forty-six  years 
his  entire  hfe  was  devoted  to  the  cause  of  Judaism 
in  America. 

This  successful  career  covering  the  last  half  of 
the  nineteenth  century  can  be  appreciated  best  if 
his  many-sided  activities  are  considered  separately. 
Naturally  they  overlap  and  are  so  interwoven  one 
with  the  other  that  it  will  be  .difficult  to  portray 
any  one  without  reference  to  the  others.  However, 
a  clear  insight  into  his  power,  force,  and  influence 
can  be  had  by  setting  forth  in  greater  detail  each 
phase  of  his  activity,  that  of  rabbi  of  the  congre- 
gation Bene  Yeshurun,  editor  of  the  American 
Israelite,  founder  of  the  Union  of  American  He- 
brew Congregations,  the  Hebrew  Union  College, 
and  the  Central  Conference  of  American  Rabbis. 

In  1854,  Cincinnati  had  a  population  of  about 
155,000  of  whom  four  thousand  were  Jews.     The 

153 


154  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

first  Jew  settled  in  Cincinnati  in  the  first  week  of 
March,  1817.  He  was  a  native  of  Plymouth,  Eng- 
land. About  the  time  of  his  arrival  another  Jew 
from  Portsmouth,  England,  settled  at  Connersville, 
Indiana.  Other  English  Jews  settled  in  Cincin- 
nati between  1820  and  1830,  and  during  the  same 
period  some  Dutch  and  French  Jews  arrived. 

About  1830  the  Polish  and  German  Jewish 
immigration  began,  and  within  a  decade  the 
English  Jews  were  outnumbered  by  the  Germans, 
who  continued  to  arrive  in  large  numbers  during 
the  succeeding  decades.  In  the  fall  of  18 19  the 
English  Jews  in  Cincinnati  held  the  first  Jewish 
services  in  the  West,  and  on  January  4,  1824,  a 
meeting  of  the  resident  Jews  of  Cincinnati  was 
held  at  the  home  of  Morris  Moses  when  steps  w^ere 
taken  to  organize  a  congregation,  and  on  the  i8th 
day  of  January,  1824,  the  congregation  Bene  Israel 
(Children  of  Israel)  was  organized  "According  to 
the  form  and  mode  of  worship  of  the  Polish- 
German  Jews."  Between  1838  and  1840  there 
were  in  and  about  Cincinnati  a  number  of  young, 
energetic  German  Jews  who  were  not  in  sympathy 
with  the  English  congregation  Bene  Israel.  Dur- 
ing the  year  1840  they  met  and  decided  to  organ- 
ize an  independent  congregation  which  they  named 
Bene  Yeshurun   (Children  of  Yeshurun).     Their 


-'"C-UA' 


ISAAC    M.    WISE 
AET.    35 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  155 

first  place  of  worship  was  in  a  residence  on  Third 
Street  between  Sycamore  and  Broadway;  and  on 
February  28,  1842,  they  received  a  charter  from 
the  State.  The  history  of  this  congregation  during 
its  early  years  was  similar  to  that  of  many  other 
German  Jewish  organizations  at  that  time.  Fre- 
quent meetings  were  held,  but  the  business  trans- 
acted was  of  minor  importance.  The  congrega- 
tion soon  increased  in  numbers,  and  in  1844  decided 
to  build  a  synagogue,  and  the  following  year  pur- 
chased for  that  purpose  a  lot  on  Lodge  Street,  a 
small  narrow  street,  practically  an  alley.  In  1845 
the  congregation  refused  to  unite  with  congrega- 
tion Bene  Israel.  The  corner-stone  of  the  new 
synagogue  was  laid  in  1846,  and  in  1847  the  con- 
gregation elected  the  Rev.  James  K.  Gutheim, 
lecturer  and  reader,  at  a  salary  of  $500  per  annum. 
The  congregation  became  more  active  after  the 
arrival  of  Rev.  Mr.  Gutheim.  He  introduced  some 
reforms,  among  which  was  the  establishment  of  a 
choir.  In  1848  he  asked  the  board  of  trustees  to 
appoint  a  committee  to  prepare  a  permanent  ritual 
or  order  of  worship.  The  committee  was  ap- 
pointed and  submitted  a  report  prepared  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Gutheim,  recommending  the  adoption  of  new 
rules  relating  to  decorum  during  the  services,  and 
the   omission  of  certain  portions  of  the  Prayer 


156  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Book.  As  the  board  of  trustees  could  not  agree 
with  the  committee,  the  report  was  referred  to  the 
general  meeting  of  the  congregation  which  adopted 
part  of  the  report. 

The  new  synagogue  was  dedicated  on  September 
22,  1848.  At  this  time  the  congregation  had  134 
members.  Soon  after  the  dedication  the  ultra- 
orthodox  members  of  the  congregation  began  to 
oppose  Rev.  Mr.  Gutheim  because  of  his  reform 
tendencies,  and  in  1849  he  resigned  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  Mr.  H.  A.  Henry,  an  Englishman. 
Mr.  Henry  was  strictly  orthodox  in  his  views,  and 
through  his  influence  the  reform  movement  began 
by  Gutheim  received  a  serious  setback.  Rev. 
Mr.  Henry  was  a  scholar  and  a  writer  and  he  intro- 
duced the  custom  of  preaching  every  Sabbath  and 
on  holidays.  In  September,  1850,  he  was  re- 
elected at  a  salary  of  $800  per  annum,  but  re- 
signed the  following  July.  On  October  4,  1851, 
Rev.  A.  Rosenfeld  of  the  orthodox  Portuguese 
congregation  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  was  elected 
cantor,  lecturer,  and  superintendent  of  the  school 
at  a  salary  of  $1000.  He  was  a  fluent  preacher, 
a  good  cantor,  and  an  able  teacher,  but  was 
strictly  orthodox.  In  1852  he  was  re-elected  for 
three  years  at  a  salary  of  Si 500.  About  this 
time  he  was  bitterly  attacked,  not  only  by  the 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  157 

members  of  his  own  congregation,  but  by  the 
members  of  congregation  Bene  Israel,  and  ridicu- 
lous charges  against  him  were  published  in  the 
Occident.  Notwithstanding  the  confidence  ex- 
pressed in  him  by  his  own  congregation  he  re- 
signed in  1853. 

Many  of  the  leading  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion visited  New  York  frequently,  and  while  there 
they  heard  of  Rabbi  Wise  of  Albany;  others  had 
read  of  him  in  the  Occident.  Isaac  Leeser,  the 
editor  of  the  Occident,  visited  Cincinnati,  and  in 
the  April  number  of  1852,  published  a  report  of  his 
visit.  In  the  issue  of  June,  1852,  there  is  a  com- 
munication from  Cincinnati  written  by  Henry 
Mack,  a  prominent  member  of  the  congregation, 
from  which  it  appears  that  at  this  time  there  were 
four  congregations  in  Cincinnati:  Congregation 
Bene  Israel,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  seventy 
members;  Congregation  Bene  Yeshurun,  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  members;  Congregation  of  Bro- 
therly Love,  eighty  members,  and  a  newly  organ- 
ized Polish  congregation. 

Mr.  Mack  in  his  communication  gives  a  good 
description  of  the  work  of  the  Talmud  Yelodim 
Institute,  a  day-school  which  was  organized  at  his 
suggestion  by  the  Bene  Yeshurun  congregation 
in  1849:  "That  Talmud  Yelodim  Institute  bids 


158  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

fair  to  become  one  of  the  best  schools  in  the 
country,"  he  writes.  "We  employ  at  present 
three  male  and  a  female  teacher,  all  able  instruc- 
tors and  classical  scholars,  who  teach  all  branches 
belonging  to  a  thorough  English  education.  Ger- 
man and  Hebrew  languages,  religious  and  vocal 
music.  We  are  the  only  congregation  in  this  city 
in  whose  synagogue  sermons  in  the  vernacular 
are  delivered."  In  September,  1853,  this  con- 
gregation, notwithstanding  its  previous  ortho- 
dox proclivities,  invited  Dr.  Wise,  of  Albany,  the 
leading  reform  rabbi  in  America,  to  become  its 
minister  and  superintendent  of  its  school,  and  in 
October  it  unanimously  elected  him  for  life  at 
a  salary  of  $1500  per  annum. 

In  his  letter  dated  Albany,  October  31,  1853, 
acknowledging  his  election.  Wise  wrote:  "Being 
in  possession  of  your  favour  of  the  twenty-eighth 
instant,  I  repeat  what  I  have  informed  you  by 
telegraph,  that  I  accept  the  office.  I  shall  be  in 
Cincinnati  in  December  as  I  promised,  and  will 
enter  upon  my  duties  on  the  first  of  May,  next. 
I  promise  nothing,  but  shall  honestly  attempt  to 
give  satisfaction  to  the  K.  K.  Bene  Yeshurun  and 
to  deserve  that  unconditional  confidence  which 
that  honourable  body  has  been  pleased  to  put  in 
me.     The  intelligence  and  the  pious  will  for  which 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  159 

your  congregation  is  reputed  promise  that  we  shall 
soon  succeed  to  elevate  it  to  a  model  congregation 
for  the  whole  West  and  South,  to  maintain  and 
defend  the  honour  of  our  sacred  faith  against  all 
religious  sects." 

Wise  arrived  in  Cincinnati  at  the  end  of  the 
following  April  and  immediately  took  charge  of 
the  congregation  and  the  school.  The  Lodge 
Street  synagogue  at  that  time  was  without  organ 
and  choir,  and  was  quite  orthodox.  The  members 
observed  the  first  and  second  days  of  each  holiday, 
and  worshipped  with  covered  heads.  There  was 
no  confirmation  of  children,  and  the  ritual  was 
German.  During  the  first  year  of  Wise's  occu- 
pancy of  the  pulpit  he  was  the  only  Jewish  preacher 
in  the  entire  West.  His  audiences  were  large  and 
composed  of  members  of  the  other  congregations, 
and  of  many  visitors  from  the  West  and  South 
whom  business  brought  to  Cincinnati.  Wise  was 
most  fortunate  in  finding  so  many  able,  earnest, 
and  willing  young  men  in  his  congregation  who 
assisted  him  in  his  progressive  work.  Most  of 
the  young  Germans  of  Cincinnati  came  from 
Bavaria,  Wurttemberg,  and  Baden,  and  had  been 
influenced  by  the  reform  movement  in  Germany, 
and  especially  by  Rabbi  Leopold  Stein  of  Burgkun- 
stadt  and  Frankfort.     The  president  of  the  con- 


i6o  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

gregation  at  the  time  of  Wise's  election  was  Marcus 
Fechheimer,  a  man  of  education,  tact,  and  force. 
He  realized  Wise's  ability  and  aided  him  in  all 
his  undertakings.  Within  a  few  weeks  after  Dr. 
Wise's  arrival  the  president  announced  the  aboli- 
tion of  the  Piutim,  the  liturgical  poems,  part  of  the 
ritual,  and  soon  thereafter  the  sale  of  the  Mitz- 
woth  was  abolished.  Thus  two  reforms  which 
Wise  had  introduced  in  Albany  after  a  struggle 
were  adopted  without  any  effort  on  his  part. 
The  rabbi  wished  to  establish  a  choir,  but  owing 
to  the  fact  that  the  congregation  had  spent  several 
hundred  dollars  in  previous  years  for  that  purpose 
without  success,  this  effort  on  his  part  was  not 
accomplished  so  easily.  However,  he  invited 
many  young  men  and  women  to  assist  him,  and 
within  a  few  months  a  choir  was  being  trained. 
In  March,  1855,  the  congregation  decided  to  en- 
large its  seating  capacity,  build  a  choir  gallery,  and 
install  an  organ.  At  first  the  suggestion  of  an 
organ  was  opposed  by  the  more  orthodox,  but  as 
the  question  was  decided  by  so  overwhelming  a 
majority  this  opposition  faded  away.  The  reno- 
vated synagogue  was  re-dedicated  with  appro- 
priate services  on  August  24,  1855.  The  choir, 
with  three  exceptions,  was  composed  of  volunteers. 
In  1856  two  non- Jewish  professionals  were  added 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  i6i 

to  the  choir.  This  innovation  of  having  Christians 
take  part  in  the  divine  service  caused  a  sensation 
at  the  time,  but  today  is  quite  common  in  all 
temples. 

Wise  at  this  time  was  the  only  rabbi  in  Cincin- 
nati, and  his  sermons  became  so  popular  that  the 
older  congregation,  Bene  Israel,  which  was  without 
a  minister,  was  losing  ground.  To  prevent  a  dis- 
solution, the  congregation  at  a  general  meeting 
held  November  5,  1854,  adopted  the  following 
resolutions : 

"That  rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  congregation  is 
hereby  elected  for  life  rabbi  of  Bene  Israel  con- 
gregation with  the  understanding  that  he  is  to 
preach  alternately  in  both  synagogues,  and  to  dis- 
charge rabbinical  functions  in  both  congregations. 

"That  the  Bene  Israel  congregation  proceed 
at  once  to  build  a  school,  and  said  rabbi  is  elected 
superintendent  of  this  school. 

"That  the  Bene  Israel  congregation  contribute 
as  much  as  the  Bene  Yeshurun  congregation 
toward  the  salary  of  the  rabbi. " 

Heretofore  Bene  Israel  congregation  had  been 
very  orthodox,  and  among  its  leaders  were  bitter 
detractors  of  Wise.  "A  committee  of  fifty  came 
to  my  house  at  midnight,"  he  writes,^  "to  apprise 

'  Reminiscences,  p,  277. 
II 


1 62  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

me  of  the  action  of  the  congregation.     Joy  reigned 
unconfined.     It  was  a  fairly  won  battle,  a  victory 
for  the  cause  of  progress  in  Judaism,  for  the  Bene 
Israel  congregation  was  looked  upon  as  the  mother 
congregation  of  Western  Jewry,  and  as  the  camp 
of    simon    pure    orthodoxy."     However,    Wise's 
congregation  would  not  consent  to  the  proposition, 
nor  was  this  action  at  all  surprising  in  the  light  of 
its  history.     Bene  Yeshurun  had  been  organized 
by  German  Jews  who  had  withdrawn  from  Bene 
Israel,  which  was  controlled  by  English  Jews  who 
used  the  Polish-German  Minhag  form  of  worship ; 
whereas  the  former  used  the  German  form;  then, 
again,  there  had  always  existed  a  most  jealous 
rivalry  between  the  two  congregations.     Ridicu- 
lous  charges   against   Rev.   Mr.   Rosenfeld  were 
preferred  by  some  members  of  the  Bene  Israel, 
and   in   the  Occident  of  April,   1853,'  there  is  a 
letter    from    Marcus    Fechheimer,    president    of 
Bene  Yeshurun,  in  which  he  states:  "You  must 
know  that  ever  since  our  congregation  was  organ- 
ized up  to  the  present  day  there  has  been  a  jealous 
feeling  manifested  toward  us  by  a  certain  cHque 
composed  of  members  of  Bene  Israel.     They  put 
all  kinds  of  obstructions  in  our  way,  called  the 
congregation  by  nicknames,  and  contrived  every- 

'  Vol.  xi.,  p.  66. 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  163 

thing  in  their  power  to  prevent  our  advancement. 
What  seemed  to  provoke  them  most  is  that  our 
congregation  has  always  striven  to  obtain  for  their 
pulpit  men  of  learning  and  oratorical  powers  and 
high  moral  standing. " 

Happily,  Rabbi  Wise  was  able  to  allay  this 
antagonistic  and  jealous  feeling.  While  he  could 
not  become  the  regular  rabbi  of  Bene  Israel  con- 
gregation without  the  consent  of  his  own  con- 
gregation, nevertheless  he  performed  temporarily 
all  the  rabbinical  functions  and  preached  there 
every  Saturday  afternoon.  He  continued  in  this 
capacity  until  May,  1855,  when  with  his  consent 
and  to  his  great  satisfaction  his  friend  Rev.  Dr. 
Max  Lilienthal  was  elected  rabbi  of  Bene  Israel 
congregation.  The  congregation  presented  to 
Dr.  Wise  a  set  of  laudatory  resolutions,  and  a 
handsome  silver  fruit  basket  in  recognition  of  his 
services.  With  the  advent  of  Rabbi  Lilienthal, 
in  June,  1855,  began  a  most  remarkable  friendship 
between  him  and  Wise,  which  was  to  last  until 
LiHenthal's  death  in  1882.  Never  before  and 
never  since  in  the  history  of  American  Judaism 
did  two  rabbis  live  in  the  same  city  on  such  a 
footing.  They  were  associated  in  every  movement 
for  the  advancement  of  the  condition  of  the  Jews 
and  Judaism.     In  1858  the  congregation  Adath 


164  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Israel  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  without  success, 
requested  Wise's  congregation  to  permit  him  to 
preach  in  Louisville  once  a  month.  The  congre- 
gation Bene  Yeshurun,  though  it  would  not  con- 
sent to  share  the  services  of  its  rabbi  with  another 
congregation,  began  at  once  to  give  him  most  loyal 
and  enthusiastic  support  in  every  reform  he 
advocated,  and  in  all  his  plans  for  the  advance- 
ment of  American  Judaism,  his  paper,  his  college, 
and  his  ritual.  In  September,  1855,  the  congre- 
gation at  Wise's  suggestion  elected  two  delegates 
to  the  Cleveland  Rabbinical  Conference,  called 
by  him  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  union  among 
the  Israelites,  preparing  a  uniform  ritual,  and  the 
establishment  of  a  rabbinical  college.  One  of 
the  results  of  this  conference  was  the  preparation 
of  an  American  ritual,  the  Minhag  America,  the 
work  of  Rabbis  Wise,  Kalisch,  and  Rothenheim, 
a  committee  appointed  at  the  Cleveland  confer- 
ence. In  September,  1857,  congregation  Bene 
Yeshurun  adopted  this  ritual  which  was  gradually 
accepted  by  the  majority  of  reform  congregations 
in  the  South  and  West.  In  1866  Dr.  Wise  pre- 
pared a  second  part  of  this  Minhag  America  which 
was  used  for  the  New  Year  and  Day  of  Atone- 
ment Services.  As  a  part  of  the  service  on  the 
Eve  of  the  Day  of  Atonement,  Dr.  Wise  introduced 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  165 

a  beautiful  "Memorial  Service"  for  those  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation  who  had  died  during  the 
previous  year.  This  service,  though  written  in 
English  and  German,  was  always  read  in  German. 
The  German  version  was  beautiful,  full  of  senti- 
ment and  poetry.  The  theme,  "Immortality  of 
the  Soul,"  always  moved  the  congregation.  Wise 
in  all  his  writings  probably  never  again  reached 
the  high  note  struck  in  this  effort. 

It  was  mainly  composed  on  his  way  from  Albany 
to  Cincinnati,  in  1854.  ^^  ^^is  Reminisce?ices^ 
he  gives  the  following  account:  "At  noon  I  sat 
down  in  the  corner  of  the  station  at  Columbus  and 
wrote  as  follows:  'I  am  troubled  with  anxious 
forebodings,  now  that  I  approach  my  new  home 
which  I  shall  reach  in  a  few  hours.  I  cannot 
pierce  the  veil  of  the  future,  God  wills  that  I  should 
not.  Wherefore  this  fear?  Is  it  the  echo  of  the 
past  or  a  magical  voice  from  the  future?  O,  Lord 
God,  Thou  alone  knowest. '  Many  of  my  readers 
may  recognize  that  the  thoughts  and  feelings 
entertained  by  me  at  this  time  appear  in  the 
introduction  to  the  memorial  service,  but  they 
do  not  know  that  the  principal  passages  were 
written  on  the  train  between  Columbus  and  Cin- 
cinnati in  April,  1854." 

' P.  254. 


i66  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

In  1888  and  1890  new  rituals  for  Friday  night 
and  Saturday  morning  were  introduced.  The 
important  changes  consisted  in  reading  a  greater 
portion  of  the  service  in  EngHsh  and  permitting 
the  congregation  to  participate  more  in  the 
service. 

In  1894  t^^6  Union  Prayer  Book,  the  work  of 
the  Central  Conference  of  American  Rabbis,  was 
adopted,  and  Wise,  free  from  any  jealousy,  urged 
his  congregation  to  be  the  first  to  accept  this  new 
ritual.  The  congregation,  however,  refused  to 
omit  the  beautiful  memorial  service  (Seelenfeier) 
on  Yom  Kippur  Eve,  which  was  read  in  German 
until  1 90 1,  when  an  acceptable  English  transla- 
tion made  by  the  late  Bernhard  Bettmann  was 
adopted.  This  English  translation,  which  pre- 
serves very  well  the  spirit  of  the  original  German, 
is  still  used. 

The  orthodox  congregations  observe  two  holi- 
days, the  second  day  being  the  rabbinical,  "Second 
Holy  Day."  These  were  observed  because  it  was 
thought  that  when  in  ancient  days  the  messengers 
were  sent  out  to  notify  the  people  of  the  date  that 
the  message  might  not  have  been  received  in  time 
to  celebrate  the  first  day.  In  modern  times  the 
reform,  rabbis  felt  no  such  mistake  could  be  made, 
as   these    dates    were   astronomically    fixed,    and 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun         167 

therefore  advocated  the  aboHtion  of  the  second 
holy  day.  In  October,  1859,  congregation  Bene 
Yeshiirun  aboHshed  the  observance  of  all  second 
holidays  with  the  exception  of  the  second  day  of 
New  Year,  the  observance  of  which  was  not  dis- 
continued until  1873.  In  that  year  the  orthodox 
custom  of  worshipping  with  covered  heads  was 
likewise  abolished. 

During  the  years  1854  to  i860  the  congregation 
steadily  increased  in  membership  and  influence, 
and  it  soon  became  evident  that  the  Lodge  Street 
synagogue  was  too  small,  and  furthermore  that  the 
neighbourhood  was  not  conducive  to  congrega- 
tional work.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  i860  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  investigate  the  ques- 
tion of  building  a  new  temple.  But  owing  to  the 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  nothing  was  accom- 
plished at  that  time.  In  1863  many  of  the  leading 
and  wealthy  members  of  both  Bene  Yeshurun 
and  Bene  Israel  thought  it  advisable  to  build  a 
large  and  handsome  temple,  the  pulpit  of  which 
should  be  occupied  by  Drs.  Wise  and  Lilienthal, 
the  former  to  lecture  in  English  and  the  latter  in 
German.  Wise,  upon  being  requested  by  his  con- 
gregation to  give  his  opinion  of  this  project,  said: 
"I  will  not  leave  congregation  Bene  Yeshurun. 
The  honour  of  Judaism  in  Cincinnati  and  through- 


1 68  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

out  the  West  requires  that  Bene  Yeshurun,  hitherto 
the  banner  bearer  of  reform  and  progress  on  this 
side  of  the  Alleghenies,  should  come  out  of  Lodge 
Street  into  the  broad  dayHght  of  a  better  locaHty. 
Still,  if  the  congregation  believes  that  the  time 
has  not  yet  come  for  such  an  enterprise  I  "will 
patiently  wait  with  you.  If  some  of  our  wealthy 
members  leave  us  I  will  stay  with  you  even  if  my 
salary  by  necessity  must  be  reduced  one  half." 
This  outspoken  and  unequivocal  stand  effectually 
disposed  of  the  project  to  establish  a  "temple 
congregation," 

The  congregation  shortly  thereafter  unani- 
mously decided  to  build  a  new  temple,  and  at  an 
enthusiastic  meeting  $40,000  was  subscribed,  com- 
mittees were  appointed,  and  in  May,  1863,  the  pres- 
ent site,  132  by  100  feet  at  the  south-east  corner 
of  Eighth  and  Plum  streets,  was  purchased,  and 
three  years  later,  August  24,  1866,  the  new  temple 
was  dedicated  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  The 
total  cost  of  the  structure  was  $263,525.  This 
temple  is  at  present  one  of  the  handsomest  ex- 
amples of  Moorish  architecture  in  America,  and 
at  the  time  of  its  dedication  was  one  of  the  largest 
Jewish  temples  in  the  country. 

In  1858  a  cantor  was  elected,  and  whenever 
there  was  a  vacancy  that  office  was  filled  by  one 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  169 

of  the  congregation's  most  active  members,  Mr. 
Solomon  Levi. 

In  1866,  Wise  proposed  the  introduction  of 
Friday  night  lectures  on  religious-philosophical 
or  religious-historical  subjects,  and  in  1867  he 
began  to  deliver  these  lectures,  many  of  which  were 
afterwards  published  in  book  form.  The  most 
noteworthy  of  these  are,  "The  Cosmic  God,"  "Ju- 
daism and  Christianity" — "  Their  Agreements  and 
Disagreements,"  "Jesus,  The  Apostles  and  Paul," 
"  A  Defence  of  Judaism  versus  Proselytizing 
Christianity,"  "The  Ethics  of  Judaism,"  and 
"  Israel,  Its  Place  in  History."  In  a  communica- 
tion to  the  New  York  Jewish  Times, ^  Dr. 
Lilienthal,  writing  of  Wise's  lectures  on  Jesus 
of  Nazareth,  said:  "The  lectures  will  every- 
where be  listened  to  with  great  undivided  in- 
terest. They  are  a  bold  and  ingenious  movement 
at  the  time  when  the  Ecumenical  Council  tries  to 
lead  the  whole  world  back  into  the  times  of  super- 
natural wonders  and  bigoted  darkness  of  the 
Middle  Ages. 

"What  during  the  evening  I  liked  best  was  the 
applause  given  by  the  Christian  part  of  the  audi- 
ence. I  sat  by  the  side  of  the  Honourable  John  (sic) 
— a  misprint  undoubtedly  for  Wm.  S.  Groesbeck, 

^Vol.  IV.,  No.  45,  1870. 


170  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the  lawyer  who  so  brilHantly  defended  Andrew 
Johnson  during  the  impeachment  trial.  '  I  do  not 
subscribe  to  all  that  the  doctor  says, '  he  remarked 
to  me,  'I  do  not  believe  as  he  believes.  But  it  is 
one  of  the  most  interesting  lectures  I  have  listened 
to  for  many  years.  It  is  a  grand  and  excellent 
effort  and  I  wonder  why  the  whole  bar  does  not 
attend.  I  shall  not  miss  any  one  of  them.  They 
are  an  intellectual  treat  indeed.'  .  .  .  Protes- 
tant ministers  were  present,  and  though,  of 
course,  differing  from  Dr.  Wise's  opinion,  were 
highly  pleased." 

This  Friday  night  service  with  its  lecture  became 
a  very  important  institution  and  the  example  so 
successfully  inaugurated  by  Wise  was  followed  by 
many  congregations  throughout  the  country,  and 
today  is  much  in  vogue  in  the  small  cities.  Wise's 
purpose  in  introducing  this  Friday  night  lecture 
was  twofold:  (i)  To  attract  his  congregation  to 
the  temple  in  the  days  when  the  strict  observance 
of  the  Sabbath  was  waning,  and  thus  prevent  the 
introduction  of  Sunday  Services;  and,  (2)  To  give 
instruction  in  Jewish  history  and  philosophy  to  the 
less  devout  audiences.  It  was  not  intended  to 
supplant  the  sermon  which  was  always  delivered 
at  the  Sabbath  service  and  on  holidays. 

Writing  of  those  Friday  night  lectures  in  the 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  171 

Israelite,'^  November  16,  1899,  the  beginning  of 
his  last  course  of  lectures,  he  says:  "There  was 
danger  of  the  Sabbath  being  forgotten;  working- 
men  and  business  men  could  no  longer  attend 
services.  This  was  one  of  the  reasons  why  we  in 
1865  started  and  advocated  a  Sabbath  with 
sermons  and  an  instructive  lecture  at  a  convenient 
hour  on  Friday  evenings  primarily  for  those 
people  who  claim  not  to  be  in  condition  to  attend 
divine  services  on  the  Sabbath  day.  This  in- 
novation crossed  the  ocean  and  was  introduced  in 
Berlin,  Vienna,  and  elsewhere,  after  it  had  been 
adopted  by  a  hundred  and  more  congregations  in 
America,  and  saved  the  Sabbath  in  most  of  them. 
...  It  is  a  reassurance  that  the  true  Sabbath 
day  will  not  be  forgotten  in  Israel." 

The  congregation  lo3^ally  supported  Wise  in  all 
his  efforts  for  reform,  and  in  every  movement  he 
undertook  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  union, 
college,  and  conference.  As  early  as  1848,  before 
Wise  came  to  Cincinnati,  the  congregation  had 
voted  to  send  delegates  to  the  Philadelphia  meet- 
ing called  by  him;  in  1855  it  sent  two  delegates  to 
the  conference  held  at  Cleveland,  and  in  the  same 
year  gave  active  support  to  the  Zion  College^ 
project.     In    1867   the   congregation   voted   $300 

'  Vol.  xlvi.,  No.  20.  '  See  infra,  p.  260. 


172  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

toward  the  establishment  of  a  rabbinical  college, 
and  in  1 87 1  it  pledged  its  support  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  union;  in  1873  the  congregation,  at  the 
suggestion  of  its  president,  M.  Loth,  invited  the 
sister  congregations  of  Cincinnati  to  join  in  a 
call  to  all  Western  and  South-western  congrega- 
tions to  meet  in  Cincinnati  in  July,  1873,  ^o  form 
a  union.     This  effort  was  successful. 

The  congregation  had  always  espoused  the 
cause  of  the  education  of  the  young.  At  a  general 
meeting  of  the  congregation  held  in  December  26, 
1848,  Henry  Mack  advocated  the  necessity  of 
establishing  a  school  for  the  purpose  of  educating 
the  young  in  English  as  well  as  in  Hebrew  and 
religious  subjects,  and  in  1849  a  school  called 
"The  Talmud  Yelodim  Institute"  was  organized. 
The  school  was  held  in  the  vestry  rooms  of  the 
synagogue,  and  was  opened  with  two  teachers. 
In  1856  the  school  had  increased  so  rapidly  that 
a  separate  school  building  was  erected  on  Lodge 
Street  adjoining  the  synagogue.  This  school  had 
good  teachers  and  laudatory  reports  of  the  work 
were  printed  in  the  Occident.  Reference  has 
already  been  made  to  Wise's  letter  of  1853  In 
which  he  expressed  the  hope  that  the  Talmud 
Yelodim  Institute  would  develop  into  a  Hebrew 
College.      The   Institute  remained  a  day-school 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  173 

of  five  classes  until  1868,  when,  owing  to  the 
excellent  public  school  system  of  Cincinnati, 
there  was  no  further  need  for  its  existence  except 
as  a  religious  school.  In  1868  it  became  the 
Sabbath  school  of  the  congregation  and  continued 
its  separate  corporate  existence  under  the  presi- 
dency of  Abraham  J.  Friedlander  and  Jacob 
Ottenheimer  until  1914.  Today  it  is  the  largest 
Jewish  Sabbath  school  in  Cincinnati,  and  instruc- 
tion is  given  the  Jewish  children  free  of  charge,  and 
in  the  school  conducted  at  the  temple  none  of  the 
pupils  are  the  children  of  members  of  the  congre- 
gation. All  their  children  attend  the  school  in 
Avondale  which  was  erected  in  1904  by  the  con- 
gregation, and  which  is  now  known  as  "Wise 
Center." 

In  1858,  after  the  congregation  had  refused  the 
request  of  the  Louisville  congregation  to  permit 
Wise  to  officiate  there  once  a  month,  it  increased 
his  salary  to  $2000  per  annum.  From  time  to 
time  thereafter  his  salary  was  increased,  and  in 
1873  he  was  receiving  $4000  per  annum.  During 
the  years  1870  to  1873,  while  Wise  was  putting 
forth  every  effort  for  the  establishment  of  the 
union  and  the  college,  he  was  being  opposed 
continually  by  the  Eastern  rabbis  and  the  Eastern 
Jewish  papers.     In  August  of  that  year,  despite 


174  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the  violent  and  abusive  opposition  of  these  rabbis 
and  the  Eastern  Jewish  press,  Wise  was  unani- 
mously elected  rabbi  of  congregation  Anshe  Chesed 
of  New  York  for  life  at  an  annual  salary  of  $8000 
given  an  insurance  policy  of  $7500,  and  promised 
an  annuity  of  $1500  in  case  of  disability.  He 
accepted  the  offer  without  consulting  his  own 
congregation  and  immediately  tendered  his  resig- 
nation. This  action  was  received  with  astonish- 
ment and  consternation.  Wise  was  undoubtedly 
influenced  by  the  thought  that  he  was  being 
neglected  by  his  own  congregation,  that  the  ful- 
filment of  his  cherished  hopes  would  be  sooner 
realized  in  the  East.  He  had  been  sorely  tried 
by  the  vicious  attacks  made  upon  him  by  the 
radical  reformers  Einhorn  and  Hirsch  and  their 
organs,  and  thought  the  best  answer  to  their 
cowardly  attacks  was  to  go  into  their  very 
midst. ^  In  the  Israelite  of  August  18,  1873, ^re- 
ferring to  his  election,  he  wrote:  "It  is  the  first 
time  in  the  annals  of  Jev/ish  history  in  America 
that  such  an  offer  has  been  made  to  a  rabbi. 
This  brings  the  Minhag  America  permanently 
to  New  York  and  decides  forever  the  value  of 
all  the  protests  and  newspaper  quarrels  which 
were   spread   so   profusely   during  the  past   two 

'  See  infra,  page  292.  '  Vol.  xxi.,  No.  7. 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  175 

years."  Congregation  Bene  Yeshurun,  however, 
would  not  accept  his  resignation  and  referred  it 
to  a  special  committee  of  which  his  most  intimate 
and  loyal  friends  and  supporters  were  members. 
This  committee  consisted  of  Bernhard  Bettmann, 
chairman,  Henry  Mack,  M.  Loth,  B.  Simon,  Sol. 
Friedman,  Sol.  Levi,  and  W.  Rosenfeld.  The 
committee  reported  that  it  had  several  interviews 
with  Dr.  Wise,  who  stated  that  while  labouring 
under  erroneous  impressions  as  to  the  relations 
existing  between  himself  and  the  congregation  he 
had  accepted  a  call  to  New  York,  and  that  he 
regretted  that  he  had  done  so,  but  that  he  had 
been  unable  to  get  a  release.  The  committee 
recommended  that  his  salary  be  increased  to 
$6000  per  annum  and  an  allowance  be  made  for 
house  rent.  This  action  was  unanimously  ap- 
proved, as  well  as  the  following  resolutions  written 
by  B.  Bettmann:  "We  hold  that  as  no  congrega- 
tion has  a  right  to  remove  from  office  for  a  trivial 
cause  a  Rabbi  who  has  faithfully  and  conscien- 
tiously performed  his  duties,  so  no  Rabbi,  except 
for  the  promotion  of  a  great  principle,  has  a  right 
to  leave  his  congregation  so  long  as  it  unanimously 
claims  his  services,  insists  upon  his  continuance 
in  office  for  life,  and  provides  properly  for  him  and 
his  family."     The  resolutions,  after  reciting  that 


176  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Anshe  Chesed  had  made  several  efforts  to  induce 
Wise  to  accept  a  call,  succeeded  in  getting  his 
promise  of  an  acceptance  without  notice  to  or 
consent  of  his  own  congregation,  read:  "Thereby 
violating  the  comity  which  should  mark  the  course 
of  one  congregation  toward  another;  and, 

"Whereas,  we  have  nevertheless  without  pre- 
judice and  actuated  by  an  earnest  desire  to  do 
justice  to  all  parties  concerned  carefully  examined 
all  the  facts  in  this  case  and  can  sincerely  and 
honestly  declare  that  we  should  consider  the  loss 
of  our  rabbi  a  sad  bereavement,  yet  we  should  not 
hesitate  one  moment  to  sacrifice  our  personal 
feelings  on  the  altar  of  our  sacred  common  cause 
were  we  fully  convinced  that  the  interests  of 
Judaism  or  the  reverend  gentleman,  himself, 
could  be  promoted  by  the  proposed  change;  and, 

"Whereas,  from  a  full  knowledge  of  all  the  cir- 
cumstances we  are  satisfied  that  such  is  not  the 
case,  and  that  on  the  contrary  the  departure  of 
Dr.  Wise  at  this  time  would  especially  be  a  great 
loss  and  perhaps  a  permanent  injury  to  the  young 
and  rising  congregations  of  the  West,  many  of 
which  sprang  into  existence  through  his  influence, 
and  almost  all  of  which  look  upon  him  as  their 
guide  and  teacher,  demanding  a  closer  proximity 
to  them  than  this  removal  would  make  possible, 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  177 

and  consequently  his  remaining  with  his  congrega- 
tion which  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  has 
stood  by  him  as  one  man,  and  has  invariably  and 
joyfully  supported  him  in  his  successful  endeavours 
to  elevate  the  cause  of  Judaism  in  this  country, 
and  may  therefore  justly  claim  for  itself  a  little 
more  than  ordinary  consideration  at  his  hands; 

"Be  It  Therefore  Resolved,  That  reminding  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Wise  of  his  solemn  promise  given  to  us 
twenty  years  ago  that  he  would  devote  the  rest  of 
his  life  to  the  furtherance  of  the  holy  cause  of 
Israel  as  our  rabbi  and  in  our  midst,  a  promise  of 
which  under  the  present  circumstances  we  cannot 
and  will  not  absolve  him,  we  respectfully  but 
firmly  decline  to  accept  his  resignation; 

'Resolved,  That  we  respectfully  and  earnestly 
request  Congregation  Anshe  Chesed  to  yield  for 
the  above  reasons  what  they  consider  their  newly 
acquired  rights  to  our  older  and  more  firmly  estab- 
lished ones.  "^ 

The  congregation  finally  succeeded  in  inducing 
Anshe  Chesed  congregation  to  release  Wise. 
/This  was  the  only  disagreement^  from  1854  to 

;    '  Israelite,  vol.  xxi.,  14,  Oct.  3,  1873. 

'  On  September  5,  1863,  the  Hamilton  County  Oliio  Democratic 
Convention  nominated  Rabbi  Wise  as  one  of  its  three  candidates 
for  the  Ohio  State  Senate.  The  Cincinnati  Commercial,  com- 
menting on  this  nomination,  said  that  it  was  doubtful  whether 


178  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

1900  between  Wise  and  his  congregation,  which  on 
every  possible  occasion  showed  its  appreciation 
for  its  beloved  rabbi. 

In  June,  1869,  Dr.  Wise  celebrated  his  silver 
wedding,  and  in  honour  of  that  event  congratula- 
tory resolutions  were  adopted  and  a  five  thousand 
dollar  mortgage  on  his  country  home  paid. 

In  April,  1879,  the  congregation  celebrated  the 
twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  Dr.  Wise's  incum- 
bency and  presented  to  the  Hebrew  Union  College 
his  life-size  oil  portrait,  which  is  today  in  the 
Board  of  Governors'  rooms. 

His  editorial  in  the  Israelite  on  this  occasion  is 
a  valuable  contribution  to  his  biography. 

In  the  April  25,  1879,  issue,  under  the  head 
"Twenty-five  Years,"  he  writes^: 

"It  was  twenty-five  years  ago  today  that  the 
editor   of    the   American   Israelite   preached    his 

Rabbi  Wise  would  accept  the  nomination  which  was  made  to 
attract  the  Jewish  vote.  Immediately  after  the  nomination,  the 
Boards  of  the  Congregation  and  the  Sabbath  School  "politely 
but  emphatically"  requested  Dr.  Wise,  as  his  services  to  the 
Congregation  were  indispensable,  to  decline  the  nomination. 

In  complying  with  this  request  Dr.  Wise  wrote  that  he  was 
without  political  aspirations  and  only  an  humble  citizen.  "My 
sincere  attachment  to  this  country  and  the  government  is  well 
known  .  .  .  God  will  save  the  Union,  the  Constitution,  Hberty, 
justice  for  all  without  my  active  co-operation." — Cincinnati 
Daily  Commercial,  vol.  xxiv.,  Sept.  7  and  li,  1863. 

'  Vol.  xxiii..  No.  17. 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  179 

introductory  sermon  in  the  Lodge  Street  syna- 
gogue before  K.  K.  B.  Y.  and  numerous  outsiders 
and  visitors.  What  a  change  has  come  over 
American  Israel  since  that  time.  There  was  then 
no  Hebrew  congregation  west  of  the  IMississippi ; 
none  west  of  Cincinnati  except  St.  Louis;  none 
west  or  north  of  Chicago  except  a  nucleus  of  a 
congregation  in  Milwaukee;  none  south  of  Louis- 
ville except  New  Orleans;  none  in  all  the  South 
except  Richmond,  Va.,  Charleston,  Savannah, 
and  Augusta,  Ga.  Judaism  was  limited  to  the 
few  cities  of  Albany,  Syracuse,  Rochester,  Buf- 
falo, New  York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore;  small 
congregations  in  Washington,  Boston,  New  Haven 
and  Hartford,  Connecticut;  then  there  were 
also  congregations  in  Cleveland,  Cincinnati,  Louis- 
ville, St.  Louis,  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  New  Or- 
leans, with  a  beginning  at  Mobile.  There  was 
no  synagogue  and  no  congregation  outside  of  these 
cities.  .  .  .  With  a  change  of  principle  in 
Bene  Yeshurun  congregation  of  Cincinnati  a  new 
era  commenced  in  the  American  Judaism — the 
era  of  synagogal  reform  all  over  the  land,  with  the 
establishment  of  the  Union  of  American  Hebrew 
Congregations  and  Hebrew  Union  College,  the 
second  chapter  of  our  history  begins. 

"What  we  had  personally  to  do  with  these  epochs 


i8o  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

and  the  intermediate  transitions  we  leave  to  the  fu- 
ture historian  and  the  all-seeing  eye  of  God.  We 
know  that  about  two  hundred  of  our  sermons,  lec- 
tures, and  addresses  have  appeared  in  print,  have 
been  delivered  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  be- 
tween New  York  and  San  Francisco,  and  were  cir- 
culated in  hundreds  of  public  journals  as  no  other 
rabbi's  were  in  any  country.  The  influence  which 
this  may  have  exercised  together  with  the  weekly 
exertions  of  the  American  Israelite  and  the  books 
we  have  written,  we  have  no  means  of  ascertaining. 
"The  position  of  American  Israel  has  changed 
entirely  in  the  past  twenty-five  years.  The  Jewish 
religion  stands  now  before  the  enlightened  portion 
of  the  community  as  the  most  intelligent  and  the 
most  liberal  religious  system.  .  .  .  We  are  no 
longer  pitied,  hunted,  or  converted  by  bigoted 
sectarians;  all  the  new-fangled  creeds  pass  by  us 
unnoticed;  atheism,  nihilism,  and  the  so-called 
free  religionism  make  no  impression  in  our  ranks ; 
we  are  as  solid  a  line  here  and  now  as  we  have 
been  in  the  days  of  hard-shell  orthodoxy;  simply 
because  Judaism  has  been  reformed  in  form  and 
essence  as  its  spirit  demands  to  correspond  with 
the  spirit  and  tastes  of  this  age  and  this  country 
so  that  the  religious  Jew  can  also  be  a  citizen  of  a 
free  country,  a  member  of  society,  and  a  reasoner 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  i8i 

upon  the  very  height  of  modern  thought.  This 
is  the  field  in  which  we  have  done  some  work  in 
the  last  twenty-five  years,  because  God  has  given 
us  both  the  pen  and  the  pulpit,  the  English 
language  and  a  boundless  enthusiasm  and  a  con- 
gregation to  back  us  and  support  us  under  all 
circumstances  and  to  encourage  us  in  all  possible 
ways  and  manners. 

"The  last,  however,  was  this:  When  the  Per- 
sonal God  question  had  been  agitated  we  sided 
with  the  philosophical  standpoint.  Some  of  our 
very  godly  colleagues  were  aroused  against  us  in 
the  wrath  of  the  righteous.  The  president  of  our 
congregation  was  rather  inclined  to  orthodoxy  in 
general  and  it  was  known  that  he  was  orthodox. 
He  happened  to  be  in  New  York  when  one  of  our 
most  prominent  opponents  (Einhorn)  came  to 
him  and  tried  to  impress  him  with  the  benevolent 
idea  that  we  ought  to  be  removed  from  rabbinical 
office  on  account  of  our  ungodly  theology.  He 
tried  rather  hard,  and  the  president  came  home  to 
tell  the  story  (not  to  us)  which  had  the  effect  of 
crowding  our  place  of  worship  Sabbath  after 
Sabbath  with  men  and  women  who  came  merely 
to  make  a  demonstration  (as  we  were  afterwards 
told).     When  The  Jewish  Times "^  made  the  most 

'  A  New  York  weekly. 


1 82  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

damaging  attacks  on  us  we  were  most  popular 
at  home  and  abroad.  When  The  Jewish  Mes- 
senger'^  most  fiercely  decried  us  as  a  heretic  and 
innovator,  we  possessed  the  unlimited  confidence 
at  home  and  abroad  as  an  enthusiastic  defender 
and  expounder  of  Judaism.  Nobody  will  believe 
that  this  was  a  personal  favour  on  the  part  of  our 
friends  and  patrons;  it  was  the  spirit  of  self- 
reflection,  progress,  and  generosity  which  nothing 
could  arrest,  nothing  could  turn  against  him  who 
treasiu-ed  and  cultivated  it.  It  is  an  acknowledged 
fact  now  that  the  lofty  standpoint  taken  where 
faith  and  reason,  religion  and  science  do  not  collide 
has  secured  to  Judaism  the  high  position  which  it 
now  occupies  in  the  estimation  of  the  most  ad- 
vanced thinkers  of  our  country,  and  that  the 
keynotes  struck  on  our  part  concerning  Jesus,  the 
Apostles,  and  Paul  have  overcome  a  vast  amount 
of  prejudices  and  hostile  feelings  which  did  exist 
between  Jews  and  Gentiles.  We  look  upon  each 
other  in  quite  a  different  light  from  what  we  did 
twenty-five  years  ago. 

"We  had  no  trouble  in  Cincinnati  where  most 
all  were  our  friends,  and  those  few,  very  few 
indeed,  who  were  not,  did  not  speak  loud  enough 
to  be  heard. 

'  A  New  York  Weekly, 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  183 

"With  the  introduction  of  the  Minhag  America 
we  considered  the  question  of  synagogue  reform 
closed.  We  knew  very  well  that  all  other  neces- 
sary reforms  would  follow  without  trouble,  as 
they  actually  did,  and  that  there  must  remain  a 
balance  of  orthodox  people  to  have  things  their 
own  way  until  their  children  will  change  it.  The 
Friday  evening  service  and  lecture,  now  an  in- 
stitution all  over  the  country,  was  at  once  adopted 
by  many  congregations  as  an  antidote  against 
Sunday  services  on  the  one  hand  and  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  Sabbath  morning  services,  which  many 
could  not  attend,  on  the  other  hand.  We  had 
little  trouble  with  the  orthodox  side  of  the  house. 
Our  troubles  were  abroad  and  with  the  reform_ers. 
First  there  was  a  party  which  had  a  peculiar  idol, 
viz.,  the  apotheosis  of  reform.  They  made  of 
Judaism  a  reform  and  were  continually  nega- 
tive. To  abolish  this  and  that  was  religion,  to 
scold  the  orthodox  was  called  preaching.  We  had 
great  trouble  with  that  party  to  convince  it  that 
reform  is  a  handmaid  and  must  serve  the  purpose 
of  elevating  Judaism  and  endearing  it  to  its 
votaries;  that  the  preacher  must  be  positive,  must 
teach  and  edify,  win  and  give  satisfaction  to  the 
yearnings  of  the  heart.  Then  came  hostility  to 
the  Hebrew  and  the  Talmud  which  were  bound  to 


184  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

be  overcome  in  behalf  of  Judaism  which  must  have 
and  preserve  its  literature  or  go  under  in  the 
vast  majority  of  its  opponents.  Then  came  the 
attempt  to  Germanize  the  American  synagogue, 
which  we  could  not  support  as  young  America 
would  speak  English  in  spite  of  all  theology  and 
the  synagogue  must  be  no  foreigner  in  this  country. 
Then  came  the  personal  attacks  for  which  we 
never  cared.  We  looked  upon  it  as  funny  article. 
Then  came  the  bitter  denunciations  of  the  union 
and  the  college  schemes,  and  a  dozen  other  episodes 
all  of  which  are  overcome,  thank  heaven,  and  the 
whole  aspect  has  been  changed.  This  is  another 
and  better  time  than  it  was  twenty-five  years  ago. 
The  Jew  is  proud  of  his  history,  faith,  and  position 
in  society.  The  synagogue  is  modernized  and 
respected.  Judaism  is  a  badge  of  honour,  its 
teachers,  organs,  and  votaries  command  attention 
and  respect.  Things  have  changed,  and  we  thank 
God  that  we  have  lived  to  see  it. 

"This  is  a  new  country.  Everything  therein  is 
young,  energetic,  and  thriving.  This  is  a  free 
country  in  which  intellectual  fruits  ripen  fast. 
In  a  few  years  when  forty  or  fifty  graduates  of  the 
Hebrew  Union  College  will  stand  at  the  head  of  the 
synagogues  Judaism  will  be  an  American  institu- 
tion, its  spirit  and  influence  will  be  widely  felt, 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  185 

and  its  future  will  be  different  from  its  past.  It 
will  be  furnished  within  and  will  be  prepared  in 
spirit  far  outside  of  its  own  boundaries.  It  will 
be  perpetually  the  reformatory  element,  the 
harbinger  of  truth  and  light,  and  its  votaries  will 
increase  by  the  thousands  among  the  most  intelli- 
gent portions  of  the  country.  The  foundation  is 
laid,  the  house  must  be  built.  The  artisans  are 
preparing  themselves  for  the  rebuilding  of  Israel's 
sanctuary  on  the  American  soil." 

In  April,  1889,  occurred  the  seventieth  anniver- 
sary of  Wise's  birth,  a  gala  celebration  took  place 
in  the  Plum  Street  Temple  on  April  6,  under  the 
auspices  of  that  congregation,  all  the  sister  con- 
gregations and  the  Union  of  American  Hebrew 
Congregations.  On  that  occasion  congratulatory 
addresses  were  made  by  the  president  of  the  temple, 
M.  J.  Mack,  by  the  children  of  the  children  of  the 
Talmud  Yelodim  Institute,  by  Rev.  David  Philip- 
son  on  behalf  of  congregation  Bene  Israel,  and 
Bernhard  Bettmann  representing  the  Union  of 
American  Hebrew  Congregations,  which  organiza- 
tion presented  Dr.  Wise  with  a  deed  to  the  prop- 
erty No,  615  Mound  Street,  piu-chased  for  $14,500, 
and  the  library  of  which  was  furnished  by  the 
alumni  of  Hebrew  Union  College.  In  this  house 
Dr.  Wise  spent  the  last  decade  of  his  life.     Julius 


1 86  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Freiberg  spoke  for  the  Board  of  Governors  of  the 
Hebrew  Union  College,  Rev.  Dr.  Israel  Aaron 
on  behalf  of  the  alumni  of  the  college,  the  Hon. 
James  D.  Cox,  president  of  the  University  of 
Cincinnati,  brought  greetings  from  that  institu- 
tion, of  whose  board  of  directors  Dr.  Wise  was  a 
member;  and  Charles  S.  Levi  spoke  for  the  stu- 
dents of  the  Hebrew  Union  College.  The  orator 
of  the  day  was  Rev.  Joseph  Krauskopf  of  congre- 
gation Keneseth  Israel  of  Philadelphia.  Besides 
these  addresses.  Dr.  Wise  received  hundreds  of 
telegrams,  letters,  addresses,  and  handsome  gifts 
from  individuals,  congregations,  and  other  organ- 
izations throughout  the  land. 

In  March,  1899,  the  Central  Conference  of 
American  Rabbis  held  a  special  session  in  Cincin- 
nati to  commemorate  the  eightieth  birthday  of  its 
founder  and  president.  On  Tuesday,  March  13, 
1899,  the  principal  ceremonies  were  held  in  the 
Plum  Street  Temple.  On  that  occasion  the  con- 
gregation presented  Dr.  Wise  with  a  bronze  bust 
sculptured  by  Sir  Moses  Ezekiel,  of  Rome,  a 
Cincinnatian,  which,  after  his  death,  his  family 
presented  to  the  Hebrew  Union  College;  the  Tal- 
mud Yelodim  Institute  presented  a  scroll  of  laws 
with  silver  shield,  plates,  and  ornaments,  and  a 
miniature  ark;  the  Conference  a  gavel  of  ivory  and 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  187 

gold,  and  the  leading  congregations  throughout  the 
country  gave  gifts  of  silver  cups,  vases,  and  il- 
luminated resolutions.  On  the  following  night  a 
large  banquet  was  held  in  honour  of  the  event,  and 
when  Wise  was  called  upon,  near  midnight,  to 
respond  he  said  that  he  had  been  guilty  of  many 
foolish  things  in  his  life,  but  never  of  making  a 
speech  after  eleven  o'clock  p.m.  None  present 
will  forget  his  words  of  thanks  so  fervently  and 
eloquently  spoken,  in  which  he  ventured  the 
prophecy  that  within  a  short  time  the  whole  world 
would  recognize  Judaism  and  its  truth  and  doc- 
trines and  accept  them. 

Without  the  encouragement  and  support  of  the 
congregation  Bene  Yeshurun  and  its  leading 
members.  Wise  would  never  have  been  able  to 
carry  his  many  plans  to  a  successful  conclusion. 
The  liberal  policy  of  the  congregation,  its  willing- 
ness at  all  times  to  grant  him  leave  of  absence  to 
travel  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
land  in  interest  of  reform,  of  the  Union  and  the 
College,  and  the  adoption  by  the  congregation  of 
all  measures  proposed  by  Wise  made  the  congre- 
gation famous  throughout  the  country. 

In  1889  the  office  of  cantor  was  abolished  and 
that  of  assistant  rabbi  created,  as  the  congregation 
desired  to  relieve  Wise  of  some  of  his  rabbinical 


1 88  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

functions.  The  first  assistant  was  Rabbi  Charles 
S.  Levi,  now  of  Milwaukee,  who  served  until  1898, 
when  the  present  rabbi,  Rev.  Dr.  Louis  Grossmann, 
was  called  from  Detroit.  After  the  election  of  an 
assistant  Dr.  Wise  preached  on  alternate  Satur- 
days. To  the  very  end  he  was  active,  and  on  the 
Sabbath  morning  of  the  day  he  was  stricken  he 
preached  a  powerful  sermon  to  a  large  congrega- 
tion on  the  text,  "May  the  Lord  Bless  Thee  and 
Keep  Thee;  May  the  Lord  let  His  Countenance 
shine  upon  Thee  and  be  Gracious  to  Thee;  May 
the  Lord  lift  up  His  Countenance  to  Thee  and 
grant  Thee  Peace." 

Wise  on  every  occasion  gave  due  credit  to  Bene 
Yeshurun  for  its  work  and  assistance.  In  his 
sermon  preached  in  October,  1893,  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  his  installation  as  rabbi,  he  said': 
"What  we  have  done,  you  and  I,  in  these  fifty 
years  is  now  a  matter  of  .history,  well  known  to 
you  and  need  not  be  repeated  here.  I  feel  the 
necessity,  however,  to  make  known  to  you  and  all 
what  is  not  so  well  known.  All  the  controversies 
and  conflicts  through  which  I  have  passed,  all 
the  mental  combats  in  which  I  was  involved, 
occurred  outside  of  the  congregation,  outside  of 
Cincinnati    even.     In    the    congregation    I    have 

'  Israelite,  vol.  xl.,  No.  17. 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  189 

lived  and  worked  in  profound  peace  and  undis- 
turbed harmony,  in  mutual  respect  and  the  kind- 
est feelings.  There  are  few  congregations  in  the 
land  in  which  such  pleasant  relations  between  the 
congregation  and  the  minister  have  been  so  uni- 
formly sustained  so  long  a  time.  It  seems  some- 
times that  we  were  made  for  one  another.  When 
I  came  here  you,  as  a  congregation,  were  twelve 
years  old,  I,  as  a  rabbi,  eleven  years,  and  so  we 
have  lived  our  best  years  together." 

Isaac  Mayer  Wise  was  pre-eminently  a  rabbi. 
Notwithstanding  his  great  achievements  as  an 
editor  and  organizer,  and  an  educator,  he  occupies 
a  niche  in  the  Hall  of  Fame  of  great  preachers. 
His  first  sermon  in  America,  the  dedication  sermon 
at  New  Haven  in  August,  1846,  already  impressed 
his  hearers,  and  in  his  thirty-first  year,  in  1850, 
Isaac  Leeser  had  spoken  of  him  as  a  great  orator 
and  a  man  who  had  to  be  reckoned  with.  He  was 
master  of  the  German  language  as  well  as  of  the 
English,  and  his  success  in  the  pulpit  was  in  the. 
main  due  to  his  simplicity  of  speech,  his  splendid 
delivery,  his  logical  powers  of  expression,  and 
above  all  to  the  fact  that  he  always  took  a  text 
for  his  sermon  and  his  funeral  addresses  and 
adhered  to  it.  He  was  never  sensational,  and 
firmly  believed  that  politics  had  no  place  in  the 


190  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

pulpit.  He  never  spoke  on  the  fads  of  the  day. 
Writing  in  the  September  21,  1899,  Israelite,'- 
he  says : 

"For  the  benefit  of  the  young  preachers  we  state 
here  that  the  text  of  the  sermons — we  never 
preach  without  a  text  from  the  Bible — were 
mostly  taken  from  the  Book  of  Psalms  which  is 
inexhaustible  in  the  richest  and  most  sublime 
treasures  in  theology  and  ethics.  .  .  .  Speak- 
ing to  the  young  men,  we  would  say,  never  preach 
a  sermon  without  a  text  from  the  Bible,  a  text 
containing  the  theme  which  you  can  elaborate. 
The  text  is  the  best  proof  in  support  of  your  argu- 
ment. A  sermon  without  a  text  is  an  argument 
without  a  proof. ' ' 

Judaism,  its  doctrines  and  truths,  were  upper- 
most in  his  mind  when  he  preached,  and  he  was 
always  expounding  the  word  of  God  with  vigour 
and  sincerity. 

Wise,  tested  by  his  own  definition  of  what  a 
rabbi  should  be,  certainly  was  every  inch  a  rabbi. 
In  the  Israelite  of  November  10,  1876,-  he  wrote: 
"He  must  first  and  foremost  be  a  Jew  with  heart 
and  soul  thoroughly  and  enthusiastically,  a  man 
in  whom  there  is  no  guile;  a  teacher  who  never 
loses  his  patience,  truthful  and  reliable  as  a  rock, 

'  Vol.  xlvi.,  No.  12.  *  Vol.  xxvii.,  No,  19. 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  191 

and  benevolent  as  the  palm  in  the  wilderness. 
The  audience  must  be  convinced  that  whatever 
this  man  in  the  pulpit  says  is  certainly  true  to  the 
best  of  his  knowledge,  and  that  he  does  as  he 
teaches.  This  is  a  man's  moral  weight,  it  is  the 
magnet  to  attract.  JMen  who  preach  for  a  salary, 
live  to  make  money,  and  see  in  wealth  the  object 
of  existence,  may  be  honest,  but  they  are  poor 
preachers,  as  inefficient  as  those  who  preach  one 
thing  and  do  another.  ...  A  rabbi  must  be 
a  master  of  Jewish  literature  and  history  or  he  is 
a  fraud.  ...  A  rabbi  of  this  age  must  be  a 
classical  and  scientific  scholar  and  a  pleasant  orator, 
or  he  is  useless  to  his  congregation.  .  .  .  The 
rabbi  must  speak  and  preach  in  the  language  of  the 
country  in  which  he  Hves,  hence  the  American 
rabbi  must  teach,  speak,  and  preach  in  English  to 
the  young,  else  they  will  not  understand  him. 
The  rabbi  must  know,  and  feel  the  wants  of  his 
congregation,  he  must  understand  old  and  young, 
and  they  must  understand  him.  The  rabbi  must 
stand  as  high,  and,  if  possible,  a  little  higher 
morally,  intellectually,  and  scholastically  than  the 
best  of  his  members ;  he  must  be  an  authority .... 
He  must  not  be  made  by  the  office  he  holds,  he 
must  make  the  office  respected  and  honoured. 
He  must  love  his  office  and  his  congregation  and 


192  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

not  the  wealth  of  the  individual  members  thereof. 
'For  the  lips  of  the  priest  must  guard  knowledge 
and  the  Law  is  asked  from  his  mouth  for  he  is  a 
messenger  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts.'" 

When  Wise  came  to  Cincinnati,  in  1854,  to 
take  charge  of  Bene  Yeshurun  it  was  a  moderate 
orthodox  congregation  of  180  members,  wor- 
shipping in  a  small  unattractive  synagogue  located 
on  a  narrow  street  in  an  unattractive  part  of  the 
city.  The  congregation  was  without  choir  or 
organ,  used  an  old  style  ritual,  the  services  were 
conducted  on  alternate  Sabbaths  in  English  and 
German,  and  a  greater  portion  in  Hebrew,  two  days 
were  observed  each  holiday,  the  men  of  the  con- 
gregation worshipped  with  covered  heads,  and 
there  were  no  confirmation  services.  At  the  time 
of  his  death  the  congregation,  now  nearly  four 
hundred  in  number,  had  adopted  all  the  leading 
reforms  advocated  by  him.  The  congregation  had 
one  of  the  handsomest  temples  in  the  country, 
situated  in  a  prominent  part  of  the  city,  a  large 
choir  and  fine  organ.  All  vestige  of  orthodoxy 
had  disappeared.  The  men  worshipped  with 
uncovered  heads,  the  second  holiday  had  been 
abolished,  an  American  ritual  had  replaced  the 
German  one.  The  services  were  conducted  in 
English  and  the  Hebrew  portion  of  the  ritual  was 


Rabbi  of  Bene  Yeshurun  193 

greatly  abridged,  and  for  many  years  the  con- 
firmation services  for  which  Dr.  Wise  had  prepared 
a  special  ritual  had  been  a  feature. 

From  an  unknown  synagogue  through  Wise's 
influence  and  work  Bene  Yeshurun  became  the 
leading  reform  temple  of  the  United  States  which 
for  nearly  forty  years  had  been  not  only  what  he 
strove  to  make  it,  "a  m.odel  congregation  for  the 
whole  West  and  South, "  but  for  the  whole  country, 
East  as  well  as  West,  North  as  well  as  South. 
13 


CHAPTER   XI 

THE  EDITOR  OF  THE    'ISRAELITE*' 

The  day  of  personal  journalism  has  passed,  but 
in  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  the  personal  note 
in  journalism  was  still  heard  and  editorial  writers 
moulded  public  opinion.  Chief  among  these  in 
the  secular  press  were  Horace  Greeley  and  his 
Tribune;  in  the  cause  of  humanity,  William  Lloyd 
Garrison  and  his  Liberator;  and  later,  Godkin  and 
the  Nation,  Dana  and  the  Sun,  Watterson  and  the 
Courier -Journal,  Raymond  and  the  New  York 
Times,  Bowles  and  the  Springfield  Republican, 
exerted  great  influence. 

In  the  Jewish  religious  world  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 
and  his  Israelite  became  a  great  force  for  the 
advancement  of  Reform  Judaism.  Wise  while 
in  Albany  had  written  for  Leeser's  Occident,  a 
monthly  pubHshed  at  Philadelphia,  and  for 
Lyon's  Asmonean,  a  weekly  printed  in  New  York. 
Before  leaving  Albany,  in  April,  1854,  he  had 
secured  promises  from  his  friends  to  assist  him  if 

194 


The  Editor  of  the  "  IsraeUte  "     195 

he  published  a  paper,  and  on  his  way  he  stopped 
at  Syracuse  and  Rochester  and  canvassed  those 
cities  for  subscribers. 

Within  a  month  after  his  arrival  in  Cincinnati 
he  was  busily  engaged  in  devising  ways  and  means 
to  publish  a  Jewish  weekly.  When  the  Israelite 
was  founded  in  1854  there  was  no  Jewish  journal 
published  west  of  the  Alleghenies,  and  compara- 
tively few  Jews  in  this  section  could  read  English. 
The  desire  to  make  money  therefore  did  not  induce 
Wise,  who  was  without  means  and  had  a  family 
dependent  upon  his  small  salary,  to  embark  upon 
so  hazardous  an  enterprise.  The  only  Jewish 
weekly  in  English  in  the  country  was  the  Asmo- 
7iean  of  New  York,  for  which  Wise  had  written. 
But  this  paper  was  not  a  journal  in  the  true  sense 
of  the  word.  It  was  a  small  paper  and  contained 
very  little,  if  any,  literary  matter.  The  Occident, 
on  the  other  hand,  was  a  monthly,  and  its  col- 
umns contained  sermons  and  correspondence 
from  different  sections  of  the  country,  but  it 
could  not  be  classed  as  a  journal  nor  as  a  magazine 
of  any  consequence  at  this  time. 

Wise  in  liis  Reminiscences'-  gives  the  following 
account  of  the  founding  of  the  Israelite: 

"As  early  as  the  month  of  May,  1854,  I  began 

'  Page  251. 


196  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

to  take  steps  towards  establishing  a  Jewish  weekly. 
I  wrote  very  many  letters  and  received  very 
glowing  promises,  which,  however,  were  never 
kept.  Contributions  of  all  kinds  were  promised, 
but  they  were  never  received;  yet  I  went  con- 
fidently to  work  and  wrote  matter  which  I  in- 
tended to  make  use  of  later.  Fortunately  I  wrote 
very  readily,  and  possessed  rare  facility  in  the 
use  of  the  English  language;  hence  I  could  com- 
mit to  writing  very  quickly  thoughts  which  may 
have  occupied  my  mind  many  days.  Writing 
itself  was  mere  play  after  I  had  thought  out  a 
theme. 

"At  the  end  of  May,  I  began  to  look  for  some 
merciful  individual  who  would  be  so  amiable  as  to 
publish  a  Jewish  weekly  under  my  direction;  but 
such  a  one  was  not  to  be  found,  and  I  began  to 
admire  the  good  sound  sense  of  all  the  disciples  of 
Faust  and  Gutenberg.  There  was  no  one  among 
the  Jews  who  had  any  idea  of  printing  or  publish- 
ing; therefore  I  could  not  expect  any  one  of  them 
to  undertake  this  very  risky  venture.  Christian 
publishers  declared  bluntly  that  a  few  Jews  could 
not  insure  the  success  of  any  paper.  I  did  not 
relish  the  thought  of  borrowing  money  so  soon  after 
my  arrival  in  Cincinnati,  particularly  as  my  debt 
in  Albany   was   not   yet   liquidated.     I   did  not 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israehte"     197 

know  what  to  do.  Finally  I  came  across  a  vision- 
ary, Dr.  Schmidt,  the  owner  of  the  German 
evening  paper,  The  Republican,  and  of  quite  a 
large  printing  establishment  on  Third  Street,  in 
the  very  heart  of  the  business  district  of  Cincinnati. 
Dr.  Schmidt  accepted  my  promise  that  I  would 
make  good  all  losses  at  the  end  of  the  first  year. 
Steps  were  now  taken  to  have  the  Israelite  appear 
at  the  beginning  of  July.  Having  given  orders 
that  I  did  not  wish  to  be  disturbed,  I  locked  myself 
in  my  room  from  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  till 
four  in  the  morning,  and  wrote  a  prospectus. 
What  should  I  say  to  the  public,  what  suppress, 
was  a  leading  question.  I  stood  before  the  burn- 
ing thornbush  and  struggled  with  myself.  Con- 
viction, conscience,  duty,  were  ranged  against 
policy.  I  had  to  decide  one  way  or  the  other. 
If  I  used  my  talents  and  my  position  in  a  politic 
way  I  would  soon  become  rich,  and  nothing  could 
prevent  me  from  entering  upon  and  pursuing 
successfully  a  brilliant  career.  But  if  I  remained 
true  to  my  convictions,  the  bent  of  my  nature,  then 
I  must  be  ready  to  renounce  wealth,  honours, 
recognition,  and  love;  I  must  be  ready  to  serve  the 
cause  for  the  love  of  truth.  ...  I  struggled 
very  hard  that  night  until  I  reached  the  following 
decision:  Come  what  may  and  how  it  may,  I  will 


198  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

not  swerve  a  hair's  breadth  from  my  convictions. 
Either  I  will  build  up  a  Judaism  suited  to  the  age 
and  breathing  the  atmosphere  of  American  free- 
dom, or  I  will  be  buried  beneath  the  ruins  of  the 
old  Judaism.  I  do  not  wish  to  be  rich  nor  hon- 
oured, nor  recognized,  nor  beloved.  I  will  do  my 
duty.     I  will  remain  true  to  my  conviction. 

"Then  I  wrote  the  prospectus — short,  concise, 
clear,  and  fearless.  I  promised  Judaism  a  sharp 
weapon.  I  promised  progress,  enlightenment, 
spiritual  striving,  a  fearless  organ.  The  prospec- 
tus was  printed,  distributed,  and  mailed  by  the 
following  afternoon." 

"prospectus   of  the   'ISRAELITE.'^ 

"On  July  15  (1854)  will  be  issued  the  first 
number  of  the  Israelite,  a  weekly  paper  devoted  to 
the  interests  of  the  Jewish  community,  in  which 
Jewish  history,  poetry,  literature,  religion,  politi- 
cal and  social  position,  and  the  affairs  of  the 
schools,  congregation,  and  institutions  will  be 
freely  discussed  and  commented  upon. 

"A  journal  having  as  interesting  an  object  in 
view  as  the  discussion  of  affairs,  past  and  present, 
of  the  Hebrew  people  will  doubtless  be  welcomed 

'  Israelite,  vol.  i.,  No.  I. 


The  Editor  of  the  **  Israelite"     199 

by  every  friend  of  literature;  it  will  be  especially 
sought  after  by  every  Jew  who  is  desirous  of 
having  liis  time-honoured  faith  defended  from  the 
numerous  attacks  made  on  it  and  the  scandals 
uttered  against  it  by  those  fanatics  who  least  com- 
prehend its  merits  (merits  that  ages  of  cruel  politi- 
cal and  ecclesiastical  persecutions  have  fruitlessly 
striven  to  misrepresent  and  keep  in  abeyance). 

"The  paper  will  be  under  the  editorial  super- 
vision of  the  undersigned,  aided  by  an  efficient 
corps  of  assistants,  and  arrangements  have  been 
made  with  able  correspondents  for  an  early  pub- 
lication of  every  transaction  in  Europe  and 
America  of  interest  to  the  Jewish  public.  The 
columns  of  the  paper  will  moreover  be  open  for 
the  free,  open,  and  fair  discussion  of  every  topic 
tending  to  elevate  the  Hebrew  religion  and  liter- 
ature, but  no  article  will  be  inserted  known  to 
contain  personalities.  The  object  of  the  journal 
being  to  advance,  to  enlighten,  to  improve,  all  its 
efforts  and  all  its  means  must  be  used  to  that  end 
solely. 

"  Much  can  be  presented  through  the  medium  of 
such  a  paper  as  the  Israelite  proposes  to  be,  and  the 
hope  is  entertained  that  the  children  of  the  Mosaic 
faith,  widely  scattered  as  they  are  through  this 
vast  continent,   may  learn  in  the  pages  of  this 


200  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

journal  more  of  their  revered  faith,  more  of  the 
piety  of  the  martyrs  who  have  suffered  in  its 
defence,  more  of  the  biography  of  its  sages,  its 
rabbins,  its  prophets,  and  its  commentators,  be 
awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  mission,  know  and 
feel  its  glorious  tendency,  and  be  thus  taught  to 
know  themselves  and  to  be  drawn  nearer  and 
nearer  in  communion  with  their  Creator." 

The  Reminiscences  continue : 

"I  have  often  thought  how  little  conception  the 
general  reader  has  of  the  emotions  which  sway  a 
poet  or  author  while  engaged  in  literary  composi- 
tion ;  how  little  they  imagine  that  sometimes  every 
line  has  surged  forth  from  an  overcharged  heart, 
and  every  word  is  a  crystallized  tear.  These  poor 
litterateurs,  victims  of  careless  humanity,  pour 
out  their  heart's  blood  on  the  altar  of  historical 
progress  in  order  to  furnish  this  one  matter  for 
entertainment  and  pastime,  and  that  one  for 
execration  and  persecution.  If  all  goes  well  the 
hungry  poet  is  fed,  though  his  heart  be  breaking  the 
while.  I  have  often  been  surprised  that  they  do 
not  all  write — write  bitterly — like  Heine.  Only 
that  which  is  deeply  felt  can  produce  a  deep  effect, 
and  that  which  is  deeply  felt  is  fed  by  the  heart's 
blood.  I  have  often  experienced  this,  but  why  it 
is  so  I  know  not. 


The  Editor  of  the  ''Israelite"     201 

"The  prospectus  was  well  received  in  Cincin- 
nati for  the  most  part.  Naturally,  only  a  few 
friends  were  enthusiastic.  The  replies  from  the 
country  were  few,  and  still  fewer  from  other 
cities.  The  indifference  was  greater  than  the 
objection  to  reform.  Shortly  thereafter  I  visited 
with  Dr.  Rosenfeld,  a  friend  in  IMadison,  Indiana, 
where  about  ten  Jewish  families  lived,  to  whom  I 
gave  the  prospectus.  Seven  of  them  declared  they 
could  not  read  English;  one  said  that  a  Jewish 
paper  was  a  useless  commodity,  and  two  sub- 
scribed. Several  days  later  I  visited  Louisville 
for  the  first  time.  I  found  there  a  well  organized 
congregation  with  a  beautiful  synagogue.  Mr. 
Gotthelf  was  preacher  and  chazan.  I  delivered 
two  public  addresses  there.  I  was  admired  by  the 
public,  and  made  a  number  of  very  warm  friends. 
My  prospectus  was  received  coldly,  except  by  the 
few  friends  of  reformed  tendencies,  who  were  very 
enthusiastic.  At  the  end  of  June  w^e  had  about 
five  hundred  subscribers  for  the  Israelite,  and 
began  to  print  and  mail  one  thousand  copies.  The 
first  number  appeared  on  the  sixth  of  July.^  It 
contained  the   beginning  of  a  novel,  'The  Con- 

'  The  first  number  was  dated  July  15,  1854,  which  was  evidently 
an  error  as  that  was  a  Saturday.  It  should  probably  have  been 
July  14th,  as  the  second  number  was  dated  July  21. 


202  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

vert,'  a  poem,  news,  leading  articles,  my  Fourth- 
of-July  oration,  an  opening  article  on  the  institu- 
tions of  Cincinnati,  and  miscellanea.  As  a  matter 
of  course,  everyone  in  Cincinnati  had  to  see  the 
paper  whose  motto  was  'Let  there  be  light,' 
which  was  to  voyage  through  the  world  bearing 
the  name  of  Israel. 

"  I  knew  full  well  that  every  beginning  is  difficult ; 
but  I  had  no  idea  that  the  establishment  of  a 
Jewish  weekly  would  prove  as  difficult  as  it  did. 
Three  things  particularly  were  wanting,  viz., 
confidence  in  the  editor;  secondly,  writers;  thirdly, 
readers.  The  secular  press  took  scarcely  any 
notice  of  'the  little  Jewish  paper,'  as  some  called 
it.  Abroad  the  paper  was  unknown,  and  no  one 
even  mentioned  it,  except  the  Allgemeine  Zeitiing 
des  Judenthums,  which  noticed  it  in  its  news 
columns.  All  this  neither  angered  nor  surprised 
me;  for  I  have  never  cared  whether  I  was  men- 
tioned, praised,  or  blamed;  besides  I  knew  very 
well  that  my  paper  would  have  to  be  simple  and 
popular;  for  I  wanted  to  write  for  the  people, 
i.  e.,  for  my  people.  This  would  not  give  scholars 
any  reason  for  particular  admiration.  I  was 
convinced  that  I  could  not  count  on  the  support 
of  the  press. 

"A  number  of  friends  had  promised  me  original 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     203 

contributions  and  translations;  but  when  the 
campaign  was  ready  to  be  opened,  I  found  myself 
without  an  army.  Aly  sorriest  embarrassment 
lay  in  the  fact  that  I  had  announced  Jewish 
novels  in  the  prospectus,  and  could  not  obtain 
any.  I  wished  to  reawaken  the  slumbering 
patriotism  by  Jewish  stories,  and  thus  overcome 
the  indifference.  I  had  an  object,  therefore,  in 
desiring  novels;  but,  despite  all  promises,  I  had 
none.  I  had  no  choice  but  to  write  novels  in  the 
sweat  of  my  brow.  During  the  first  year  I  wrote 
two,  'The  Convert'  and  'The  Shoemaker's  Family,' 
the  latter  with  a  historical  background.  These  as- 
sisted the  paper  greatly.  How  did  I  write  my 
novels  ?  I  wrote  the  required  chapter  every  week, 
but  no  sooner  than  I  had  to.  The  first  pages  were 
set  up  while  the  last  were  being  written.  On  one 
occasion  I  was  in  a  sorr}^  plight;  I  had  made  two 
maidens  fall  in  love  with  one  and  the  same  char- 
acter, and  I  had  to  get  rid  of  one  of  them.  I  was 
in  sore  straits.  How  was  I  to  get  rid  of  a  lovelorn 
female?  I  had  no  experience  in  such  things,  and 
yet  I  wanted  to  dispose  of  her  decently,  roman- 
tically, and  effectively.  I  therefore  had  the  poor 
thing  become  insane,  and  the  unhappy  creature 
jump  from  a  window  during  the  conflagration  of 
the  Ghetto  of  Frankfort  and  thus  meet  her  death. 


204  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

The  poor  creature  was  greatly  mourned  and  wept 
for  the  following  Saturday,  and  all  the  tears  fell 
upon  my  burdened  conscience.  The  most  serious 
feature  of  the  whole  matter  was  that  my  wife  made 
sport  of  me  every  Thursday  evening,  and  declared 
stoutly  that  I  had  forgotten  entirely  how  to 
enact  a  lover's  part. 

"A  still  greater  difficulty  lay  in  procuring  read- 
ers. It  was  very  hard  to  obtain  such.  No  one 
was  used  to  reading  a  Jewish  paper.  My  personal 
friends  read  the  paper  and  sought  to  circulate  it; 
but  their  number  was,  sad  to  say,  very  small.  I 
received  frequently  communications  of  the  follow- 
ing import  from  the  country:  'We  are  not  Jews. 
We  do  not  need  a  Jewish  paper.  We  do  not  wish 
to  be  known  as  Jews.  There  is  no  honour  in  being 
a  Jew.  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  Jews. '  .  .  . 
The  fact  is,  that  very  few  could  read  English,  and 
the  fewest  of  these  wanted  to  be  known  as  Jews. 
Frivolity  and  indifference  were  the  order  of  the 
day,  and  in  the  cities  atheism  and  hatred  of  all 
religion  were  rampant  among  the  Germans.  This 
was  the  case  in  Cincinnati,  particularly  under  the 
segis  of  the  Freeman's  Hall.  It  did  not  profit 
me  to  have  attacked,  scourged,  and  finally  routed 
atheism  with  all  the  weapons  at  my  command ;  for 
it  took  time  to  accomplish  this.     The  mass  was 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     205 

large  and  unapproachable,  and  my  arguments  were 
slow  in  convincing  a  foolish,  misguided,  and  semi- 
cultured  class  of  people  who  repeat,  parrot-like, 
whatever  happens  to  be  the  fad  of  the  hour. " 

The  Israelite  was  in  every  way  a  true  organ 
published  in  the  interest  of  Israel,  and  during 
nearly  a  half  century  under  the  editorship  of  Wise 
the  paper  was  the  fearless  champion  of  the  Jew, 
the  zealous  defender  of  his  civil  as  well  as  religious 
rights,  and  the  staunch  advocate  of  his  cause. 
Without  the  advocacy  of  the  Israelite,  without 
the  watchfulness  of  its  intrepid  editor,  and  without 
his  constant  and  persistent  appeals,  protests,  and 
demands  in  behalf  of  the  American  Jew,  the  Jew 
today  would  not  have  reached  the  position  he 
enjoys  in  this  country.  From  the  establishment 
of  the  paper  to  the  death  of  its  founder  and  editor, 
a  brave  fight  was  made  by  the  Israelite  for  the 
Jew;  it  always  insisted  upon  the  fundamental 
truth  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  that  all 
men  are  created  equal,  and  at  all  times  insisted 
vehemently  that  the  underlying  principles  of  this 
government,  the  separation  of  church  and  state, 
be  adhered  to,  and  that  in  the  domain  of  politics 
no  discrimination  be  made  against  citizens  because 
of  their  religion. 

While  in  Albany  Wise  had  frequently  written 


2o6  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

to  the  Asmonean  protesting  against  the  common 
practice  of  government  officials  characterizing 
this  country  as  a  Christian  Nation.  He  had  also 
objected  strenuously  to  the  discrimination  against 
the  Jews  on  account  of  their  religion. 

He  continued  this  policy  in  the  Israelite,  and 
on  many  different  occasions  when  the  rights  of  the 
Jews  were  ignored  or  denied,  as  in  Thanksgiving 
proclamations,  the  Swiss  Treaty,  the  reading  of 
the  Bible  in  the  public  schools,  the  infamous 
Grant  Order  No.  ii,  the  enactment  of  laws  de- 
claring certain  Christian  religious  days  public 
holidays,  the  addresses  of  public  officials  in  public 
assemblies,  the  attempt  to  amend  the  United 
States  Constitution  by  inserting  a  religious  clause, 
and  the  Russian  Treaty  and  Passport  question, 
the  Israelite  immediately  called  attention  to  the 
denial  of  rights,  to  the  abuse  of  the  Jew,  and 
demanded  redress  and  fair  treatment,  and  pro- 
claimed to  the  world  that  in  free  America  the 
Jew  was  the  equal  of  his  neighbour  and  entitled 
to  the  enjoyment  of  equal  political  rights. 

The  Israelite  began  its  criticism  of  Thanksgiving 
proclamations,  on  account  of  their  sectarian  form, 
in  its  first  volume.  In  the  issue  of  December  15, 
1854,'  there  is  a  long  editorial  reviewing  the  pro- 

'  Vol.  i.,  No.  23. 


The  Editor  of  the  ''Israelite"     207 

clamations  issued  in  the  previous  months  and  those 
of  Governors  Seymour,  of  New  York;  Washburn, 
of  Massachusetts;  Baker,  of  New  Hampshire; 
Bryce,  of  Vermont,  and  Hopkins,  of  Maine,  are 
singled  out  because  of  their  Christian  tone  and 
illiberal  and  narrow  views. 

Probably  the  editor  of  the  Israelite  had  no 
warmer  and  closer  friend  than  Salmon  P.  Chase, 
who,  in  January,  1856,  entered  upon  his  first  term 
as  Governor  of  Ohio.  In  1855,  Chase  was  one  of 
the  speakers  at  the  opening  of  Zion  College,  an 
institution  established  by  Wise  to  educate  min- 
isters, and  on  several  occasions  he  advised  Dr. 
Wise  that  it  would  be  much  better  for  him  to  attach 
himself  to  the  rising  Republican  party — then  the 
party  of  progress  and  reform — than  to  work  for  a 
religious  idea  in  a  narrow  circle.  Yet  this  friend- 
ship did  not  prevent  the  Israelite  from  protesting 
in  unmistakable  words  when  Governor  Chase,  in 
issuing  his  Thanksgiving  proclamation  in  the  fall 
of  1856,  used  this  language:  "In  conformity  with 
a  custom  sanctioned  by  Legislative  Resolves, 
commended  by  the  practice  of  my  predecessors  in 
the  executive  office,  and  in  itself  highly  becoming  a 
Christian  people,  I,  Salmon  P.  Chase,"  etc. 

In  the  issue  of  November  14,  1856,'  this  docu- 

'  Vol.  iii.,  No.  19. 


2o8  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

ment  is  called  illiberal  and  the  following  extracts 
from  an  editorial  show  the  attitude  of  the  Israelite 
toward  the  State:  "The  Governor  addresses  him- 
self to  a  Christian  people,  but  he  ought  to  know 
that  the  people  of  Ohio  are  neither  Christian  nor 
Jewish;  they  are  a  free  and  independent  people. 

"Next  the  Governor  desires  us  to  thank  God 
'for  the  mercies  of  redemption  and  the  hopes  of 
immortality. '  Fall  upon  your  knees,  Jews,  deists, 
infidels,  and  atheists,  and  thank  God  that  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  died  on  the  cross  to  redeem  the  people 
of  Ohio,  as  His  Excellency,  the  Governor,  decrees. 
On  the  whole,  we  do  not  see  by  what  right  the 
Governor  of  Ohio  assumes  the  prerogative  of  exer- 
cising a  religious  authority.  This  is,  to  say  the 
least,  unrepublican  and  inconsistent  with  the  con- 
stitution of  the  State .... 

"In  conclusion,  however,  we  must  say,  in  justice 
to  the  Governor,  that  we  do  not  believe  this  docu- 
ment to  have  been  examined  closely  by  him.  He 
considered  it  immaterial  and  unimportant  and 
cared  little  what  his  secretary  wrote.  So  do  we 
care  little  about  the  whole  matter.  We  merely 
dislike  to  see  sectarian  views  grafted  on  the 
people." 

Governor  Chase,  in  answer  to  a  letter  of  inquiry 
from  Dr.  Lilienthal,  wrote:  "I  look  for  the  coming 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     209 

of  a  day  when  the  icy  barriers  created  between 
brethren  of  the  same  great  family  by  religious 
differences  will  dissolve  and  disappear  under  the 
fervid  rays  of  truth.  Our  creeds  are  many,  our 
Father  is  one. " 

Commenting  on  this  letter  in  the  Israelite  of 
November  21,  1856,'  the  editor  said:  "The  cor- 
respondence before  us  can  be  considered  a  private 
matter  and  no  more.  A  state  paper,  however, 
is  a  public  and  official  document  filed  among  the 
historical  records  of  the  State  and  becomes  a  part 
of  our  history;  hence  the  insult  offered  in  such  a 
document  to  any  portion  of  the  community  can- 
not be  eradicated  by  a  private  letter.  We  know 
and  fully  appreciate  the  sentiments  of  the  Hon. 
S.  P.  Chase,  but  in  this  case  we  have  nothing  to  do 
with  him;  the  Governor  of  Ohio  stands  accused. 
.  .  .  We  are  honestly  tired  of  protesting  every 
year  against  the  illiberal  and  unconstitutional 
proclamations." 

This  was  the  beginning  of  a  series  of  protests 
against  the  illiberal  tendency  of  the  times;  against 
the  frequent  efforts  to  amend  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States  by  adopting  an  amendment 
expressly  recognizing  Christianity,  and  against  all 
laws,  State  and  Federal,  that  in  any  way  abridged 

'  Vol.  iii.,  No.  20. 
14 


2IO  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  Jews  or  offended 
them  in  the  exercise  of  their  religion. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  refer  to  every  protest  on 
these  subjects;  however,  a  careful  reading  of  its 
editorial  pages  during  the  years  1 854-1 900  dis- 
closes that  the  Israelite^  with  its  accustomed 
vigilance,  called  attention  to  every  fanatical  and 
sectarian  act,  and  contained  criticisms  directed 
against  Sunday  or  Blue  Laws,  the  Federal  and 
State  acts  declaring  such  Christian  festivals  as 
Christmas,  New  Year's  Day,  and  Good  Friday 
public  holidays,  the  various  attempts  at  Christian- 
izing the  Constitution,  and  the  effort  to  prevent 
any  but  Christian  chaplains  in  the  Union  army 
during  the  rebellion. 

The  importance  of  these  topics  justifies  the 
following  quotations  from  an  editorial  in  the 
Israelite  of  January  24,  1873,^  which  is  typical 
of  the  series  that  appeared  on  this  question :  "  Ohio 
will  have  a  Constitutional  Convention.  Her 
constitution  will  be  re-shaped,  to  be  the  basis  of 
legislation  for  the  next  twenty  years.  Look  out 
in  time.  Plenty  of  obnoxious  clauses  will  turn 
up  and  post  festum  complaints  come  too  late. 
It  is  necessary  that  some  prominent  Israelites  be 
sent  into  that  convention  so  that  complaints  be 

'  Vol.  XX.,  No.  31. 


The  Editor  of  the  **IsraeHte"     211 

not  necessary  on  our  part.  We  call  the  attention 
of  our  friends  to  this  point,  especially  of  Cincinnati, 
Cleveland,  Columbus,  Dayton,  etc.,  to  be  on  the 
lookout  on  this  subject. 

"We  want  free  schools  and  free  colleges  without 
any  sort  of  religion  in  them.  We  want  equal  rights 
for  all.  We  want  State  institutions  purged  of 
sectarianism.  Wanting  this,  as  we  do,  have  your 
men  there  to  do  it. " 

During  the  campaign  of  1876  the  Israelite  urged 
the  defeat  of  Col.  Barnes,  Republican  candidate 
from  Hamilton  County,  because  he  had  supported 
a  petition  to  Christianize  the  Ohio  constitution, 
and  during  October  of  that  year  the  Toledo  Blade 
severely  criticized  the  attitude  of  the  Israelite. 
There  are  two  very  strong  editorial  answers  to  the 
Blade,  one  in  the  issue  of  October  20,  1876,  the 
other  October  27^: 

"We  have  protested  fifteen  years  since  against 
the  insolence  of  poHticians  and  their  violations  of 
constitutional  provisions.  When  Congress  ex- 
cluded the  Jews  and  the  Catholics  from  the 
chaplaincy  in  the  United  States  army,  we  protested, 
although  none  in  the  Congress  would  listen  ex- 
cept Mr.  Vallandigham,  of  Ohio.  When  General 
Grant's  insolent  order  No.  11  appeared,  expelling 

'  Israelite,  vol.  xxvii.,  Nos.  i6  and  17. 


212  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the  Jews  from  his  department,  we  protested,  al- 
though none  in  Congress  except  Mr.  Pendleton, 
of  Ohio,  and  Governor  Powell,  of  Kentucl<y,  would 
give  us  any  assistance.  When  the  late  Vice- 
President  Wilson  publicly  insulted  the  Jews  in  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States  and  it  had  become 
fashionable  in  Washington  among  speakers  and 
correspondents  to  insult  some  Jew  or  throw  sus- 
picion on  some  Catholic,  we  protested,  although 
demagogues  and  idiots  decried  us  as  a  traitor,  a 
secessionist,  a  sympathizer  with  treason.  When 
Generals  Wright,  Butler,  and  a  number  of  post 
commanders,  provost  marshals,  spies,  and  clan- 
destine traders  insulted  and  slandered  the  Jew, 
we  protested  again,  and  if  it  had  not  been  for 
Abraham  Lincoln  and  Salmon  P.  Chase  there 
would  have  been  none  in  Washington  to  listen. 
When  the  Republican  Congress  imposed  upon  the 
country  a  number  of  Christian  and  Puritan  holi- 
days, we  protested,  and  there  was  none  in  Wash- 
ington to  listen.  When  bigots  made  the  public 
schools  Protestant  chapels,  and  placed  a  Protestant 
praying  individual  everywhere  without  right  or 
reason,  we  protested  as  we  did  when  they  wanted 
to  make  the  Constitution  and  the  constitutions 
sectarian  instruments.  We  protested  against  the 
insolence  of  imposing  Sunday  laws,   temperance 


The  Editor  of  the  "IsraeHte"     213 

laws,  and  Blue  laws  upon  the  Republic.  .  .  . 
This  country  needs  subsoiling,  and  will  have  it. 
.  .  .  This  is  a  Democratic  Republic  and 
must  be  governed  by  honest  men  without  hy- 
pocrisy or  insolence,  without  religious  lies  and  im- 
position, and  also  without  Blue  laws,  Sunday  laws, 
Puritan  holidays,  God's  special  police  hereabouts, 
Bible  fanatics  or  other  fanatics." 

THE   SWISS   QUESTION 

As  early  as  May,  1852,  Wise  took  a  prominent 
part  in  calling  upon  the  Israelites  in  this  country 
to  protest  against  the  action  of  the  Swiss  Govern- 
ment in  discriminating  against  the  Jews  of  that 
country.  In  the  Asmonean  of  May  28,  1852,' 
under  the  head,  "A  call  to  the  American  Israel- 
ites," he  wrote: 

"Brethren,  Beloved  in  God  ...  I  call  upon 
you  to  arise  and  in  the  first  place  to  pray  in  your 
synagogues  to  the  God  of  Truth  and  Mercy  .  .  . 
that  He  in  His  grace  may  remove  from  our  un- 
happy brethren  in  Europe  and  elsewhere  the  shame 
and  degradation  which  the  whole  miserable  rem- 
nants of  barbarism,  despotism,  and  fanaticism 
have  thrown  upon  them,  and  under  which  they  now 

*  Vol.  vi.,  page  44. 


214  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

suffer  and  sigh.  And  that  you  may  appoint 
men  who  enjoy  your  confidence  to  meet  in  New 
York  in  order  to  frame  and  adopt  a  petition  to 
Congress  requesting  our  Government  to  protest 
against  the  illegal,  inhuman,  and  degrading  laws 
which  have  been  forced  upon  our  brethren  by  the 
Pope  in  Rome  and  by  the  Government  in  Switzer- 
land. Let  such  petitions  be  signed  and  sent  to 
all  American  Israelitish  congregations;  let  every 
man  exert  himself  to  have  it  signed  by  as  many  as 
possible  of  our  fellow-citizens  of  other  creeds  who 
feel  kindly  disposed  towards  an  oppressed  and 
suffering  people.  And  then  forward  the  petitions 
to  Congress  without  any  unnecessary  delay.  Do 
not  ask  what  the  consequences  will  be.  It  is  our 
sacred  duty  to  act  immediately,  to  protest  as  loud 
as  we  can,  to  send  our  transatlantic  brethren  the 
one  comfort  that  we  remember  them;  that  our 
hearts  bleed  because  of  their  misery ;  that  we  weep 
when  we  remember  Zion.  Congress  will  regard  the 
prayer  of  the  hundred  thousand  of  faithful  citizens, 
and  the  powerful  word  of  our  Government  will 
check  the  enemies  of  Israel.  Those  congregations 
which  are  too  distant  from  New  York  to  send  a 
delegate,  let  them  appoint  a  man  who  lives  in 
New  York,  or  let  them  send  a  written  copy  of  their 
views,  respecting  the  nature  of  such  petition,  to 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite".    215 

the  editor  of  the  Asmonean  to  be  laid  before  the 
meeting,  and  it  will  be  duly  regarded,  but  let  the 
movement  be  a  general  one  of  all  the  American 
Israelites. 

"Do  not  waste  away  the  precious  time  with 
unnecessary  controversies;  not  words  but  actions 
are  required  of  you,  follow  the  noble  impulse  of 
your  heart  and  speak  out  unitedly.  Hold  mass 
meetings  and  report  immediately  to  the  public 
press,  and  let  us  come  before  Congress  before  the 
close  of  the  present  session;  let  us  hasten  to  the 
rescue  of  our  sighing  brethren,  and  God  will  hear 
you  and  comfort  you  when  you  sigh;  let  us  show 
our  transatlantic  brethren  that  their  woe  touches 
and  wounds  our  hearts,  and  God  will  have  mercy 
and  distil  healing  balms  into  your  wounds  where- 
ever  you  will  need  it. " 

A  few  years  later  Wise,  now  the  editor  of  the 
Israelite,  found  occasion  again  to  discuss  the  Swiss 
question.  On  November  8,  1855,  ratifications 
were  exchanged  of  a  treaty  entered  into  between 
the  United  States  and  the  Swiss  Confederation. 
Article  I.  of  this  treaty  reads  in  part:  "The 
citizens  of  the  United  States  of  America  and  the 
citizens  of  Switzerland  shall  be  admitted  and 
treated  upon  a  footing  of  reciprocal  equality  in  the 
two  countries  when  such  admission  and  treatment 


2i6  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

shall  not  conflict  with  the  constitutional  or  legal 
provisions,  federal  as  well  as  state  and  cantonal, 
of  the  contracting  parties."  In  1850  when  this 
treaty  had  been  proposed,  Mr.  Dudley  Mann,  the 
American  negotiator,  wrote  to  Daniel  Webster, 
then  Secretary  of  State  under  Fillmore:  "Any 
Canton  can  permit  an  Israelite  to  become  a  citizen 
upon  the  same  conditions  as  a  Christian  and  con- 
sequently one  hailing  from  the  United  States  can 
establish  himself  and  trade  as  a  native,  a  privilege 
which  I  am  assured  will  never  be  denied."  Ac- 
cording to  the  Israelite  of  July  31,  1857,'  owing 
to  protests  on  the  part  of  the  Jews,  the  ratification 
of  the  treaty  was  postponed.  It  was,  however, 
subsequently  ratified. 

In  1853  a  Mr.  Gootman,  a  Jew  and  a  citizen  of 
the  United  States,  had  some  difficulty  in  acquiring 
a  domicile  in  one  of  the  cantons,  and  at  his  request 
our  minister  resident  at  Berne,  Hon.  Theodore 
Fay,  procured  the  necessary  permission.^  In 
1855  the  convention  of  1850  was  again  considered 
by  our  government  and  the  Israelite  called 
Secretary  of  State  Marcy's  attention  to  the 
obnoxious  article  and  Secretary  Marcy  assured  the 
editor  that  nothing  unjust  or  unfair  would  be 

'  Vol.  iv.,  No.  4. 

'  Executive  Documents,  No.  76,  36th  Congress,  ist  session. 


.  The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     217 

done.'  Nevertheless,  the  treaty  as  originally 
drafted  was  ratified.  In  1857  arose  the  second 
Gootman  case.  The  editor  of  the  Israelite  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  Mr.  Muhlhauser,  an  optician, 
a  Jew  and  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  in  which 
it  was  stated  that  Mr.  Fay,  the  United  States 
Minister  at  Berne,  had  expressed  an  opinion  that 
under  the  treaty  a  Jew,  although  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  had  no  redress  if  certain  Swiss 
cantons  denied  him  right  of  domicile  and  other 
valuable  privileges.  On  receipt  of  this  letter, 
v/hich  is  printed  in  the  Deborah  of  August  7,  1857,  ^ 
Wise  took  the  matter  up  with  the  State  Depart- 
ment. His  only  satisfaction  at  that  time  was  a 
brief  note  from  Secretary  of  State  Cass,  enclosing 
a  copy  of  the  treaty,  and  this  was  the  first  intima- 
tion that  such  a  treaty  had  been  made.  The 
Israelite  then  began  the  famous  fight  for  equal 
rights  of  the  Jews  who  were  citizens  of  the  United 
States. 

On  July  31,  1857,  the  paper  says^:  "The  treaty 
in  question  was  made  in  violation  of  the  Constitu- 
tional laws  and  by  an  assumption  of  a  power  never 
granted  to  the  Government.  It  is  unjust  for  it 
protects  the  acquired  rights  and  privileges  of  but 

'  Vol.  iv.,  No.  4.  '  Deborah,  vol.  Hi.,  No.  5. 

3  Israelite,  vol.  iv.,  No.  4. 


21 8  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

one  class  of  citizens.  .  .  .  Congress  should  be 
memorialized  at  the  next  session  by  all  who  are  to 
do  it,  so  that  the  wrong  inflicted  on  the  Jewish 
citizens  of  this  coimtry  be  remedied  forthwith. 
.  .  .  Our  exchanges  are  respectfully  requested 
to  notice  this  matter  and  give  their  opinions  on  the 
subject  to  the  community." 

In  the  issue  of  the  very  next  week,  August  7, 
1857/  the  following  notice  appears  on  the  first 
page  of  the  paper  in  large  type : 

''AGITATE! 

"CALL  MEETINGS 

"ENGAGE  THE  PRESS  IN  YOUR  FAVOUR  1 

"ISRAELITES,  FREEMEN,  CITIZENS— 
Let  not  the  disgrace  of  the  treaty  between  the 
United  States  and  Switzerland  remain  upon  the 
history  of  our  country.  Do  not  stand  the  insult 
heaped  upon  the  Jewish  citizens  by  unprincipled 
diplomacy.  Hold  public  meetings,  give  utterance 
to  your  sentiments,  resolve  upon  a  proper  course 
of  action  against  that  mean  and  illegal  instrument 
made  in  violation  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States.  Try  to  win  the  press  in  favour  of  your 
cause  and  rest  not  until  this  outrage  is  blotted  from 

'  Israelite,  vol.  iv.,  No.  5. 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     219 

the  United  States'  records.  Slaves  and  cowards 
only  will  submit  to  such  an  outrage;  we  are  men 
and  must  be  treated  as  such.  Decide  in  your 
meetings  upon  efficient  measures  to  have  your 
voice  heard,  publish  your  resolutions  in  your  local 
papers  and  send  us  a  copy  thereof,  that  a  concert 
of  actions  be  ensured. " 

This  agitation  on  the  part  of  the  Israelite  began 
to  bear  fruit  immediately.  The  issues  of  August 
14th  and  2 1st'  contain  editorials  from  the  Cincin- 
nati Enquirer,  Chicago  Press,  Louisville  Journal, 
Shelby  ville  Republican  Banner,  Chicago  Daily  Jour- 
nal, Vincennes  Gazette,  all  condemning  the  treaty. 
The  paper  comments  as  follows :  "We  have  selected 
the  above  [editorials]  out  of  about  sixty  papers 
which  comment  on  this  subject,  which  unani- 
mously declare  the  Swiss  treaty  unjust  and  un- 
becoming our  government.  There  will  be  no 
doubt  but  that  the  President  will  take  proper 
steps  to  rectify  it  when  brought  before  him  in  a 
proper  shape.  "^ 

During  the  following  weeks,  the  Israelite  prints 
the  reports  of  indignation  meetings  held  in  various 
cities  of  the  country.  On  September  2,  1857, 
Baltimore  held  a  meeting  and  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  meet  with  similar  committees  of  other 

'  Vol.  iv.,  Nos.  6-7.  '  Israelite,  vol.  iv.,  No.  7. 


220  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

cities.  The  report  of  this  meeting  was  sent  to 
the  Israelite.  On  September  24th,  the  Baltimore 
committee  wrote  to  Wise/  informing  him  that  it 
had  deemed  it  wise  to  call  a  convention  at  Balti- 
more, October  28th,  to  discuss  the  Swiss  question 
and  requesting  him  to  give  publicity  to  the  call 
and  urging  him  to  support  this  attempt  to  bring 
matters  to  a  head.  On  October  9,  1857,^  under 
the  head,  "A  Call  to  the  Community,"  The 
Israelite  said:  "The  Swiss  question  has  been  dis- 
cussed long  enough;  action,  decisive  action  is 
necessary.  We  believe  the  proposition  of  the 
Baltimore  committee  is  the  best.  Let  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  different  cities  meet  in  Balti- 
more October  28th,  proceed  to  Washington  and  lay 
our  grievances  before  the  President,  and  we  enter- 
tain no  doubt  redress  will  be  had.  Elect  your 
representatives,  let  them  be  in  Baltimore  the 
28th  inst.,  and  let  us  do  our  duty.  It  is  an  honest 
and  honourable  struggle  on  behalf  of  justice  and 
principles.  Let  none  stand  back.  The  honour 
of  our  country  and  the  principles  of  liberty  no  less 
than  our  honour  abroad  imperatively  demand  that 
we  act.  Go  at  it  without  delay. "  The  same  issue 
states  that  the  French  Jews  had  become  interested 
in  the  matter. 

^Israelite,  vol.  iv.,  No.  13.  ^  Ibid.,  vol.  iv.,  No.  14. 


The  Editor  of  the  ''Israelite"     221 

On  October  28th,  the  various  delegates  to  the 
convention  to  protest  against  the  Swiss  treaty- 
met  in  the  hall  of  the  Young  Men's  Hebrew  As- 
sociation, Baltimore,  and  organized  by  electing 
Isaac  M.  Wise,  of  Cincinnati,  Chairman,  and 
Philip  Herzberg,  of  Baltimore,  Secretary.  The 
committee  decided  that  a  memorial  be  drafted,  to 
be  presented  to  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
requesting  a  declaration  that  this  government  did 
not  and  does  not  understand  the  obnoxious  para- 
graph of  the  Swiss  treaty  as  construed  by  the 
Swiss  authorities,  and  that  the  President  be 
requested  to  give  this  explanation  to  the  Swiss 
government,  and  cause  it  to  alter  the  wording  of 
the  article  to  that  effect.  The  Committee  on 
Memorial  consisted  of  Messrs.  M.  J.  Cohen,  M. 
Bijur,  and  Isaac  M.  Wise,  and  by  agreement 
Mr.  M.  Bijur,  of  Louisville,  wrote  the  memorial, 
which  was  signed  by  M.  J.  Cohen,  Maryland;  Rev. 
Dr.  Isaac  M.  Wise,  Ohio;  Martin  Bijur,  Kentucky; 
M.  M.  Gersteley,  Illmois;  Louis  F.  Leopold,  Ohio; 
Rev.  Dr.  H.  Hochheimer  and  Philip  Herzberg 
of  Maryland. 

The  committee  proceeded  to  Washington  and 
on  October  31,  1857,  was  presented  to  President 
Buchanan  by  Hon.  P.  Phillips,  Congressman  from 
Alabama.   The  committee,  after  its  interview  with 


222  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

President  Buchanan,  issued  the  following  official 
statement:  "After  listening  to  the  views  and 
objects  expressed,  and  receiving  the  memorial, 
the  President  reviewed  at  some  length  the  principle 
involved  in  that  treaty;  expressed  his  convictions 
that  the  treaty  would  never  have  received  the 
approval  of  his  predecessor  had  it  been  understood 
in  its  present  effect,  and  unequivocally  promised  a 
speedy  and  energetic  course  of  action  with  a  view  to 
a  remedy  not  inconsistent  with  international  faith. 
We  feel  satisfied  that  the  Israelites  of  the  United 
States  may  place  implicit  confidence  in  the  execu- 
tive and  that  their  rights  as  citizens  of  the  United 
States  will  be  zealously  maintained.  We  publish 
these  cheerful  facts  in  the  discharge  of  our  duties 
as  delegates  with  the  request  to  our  co-religionists 
to  abstain  from  further  agitation  on  the  subject." 
President  Buchanan  was  as  good  as  his  word. 
On  November  5,  1857,  within  five  days  after 
receiving  the  delegation,  Secretar}^  of  State  Cass 
writes  to  Hon.  Theodore  S.  Fay,  Minister  of  the 
United  States  at  Berne:  "I  am  directed  by  the 
President  to  instruct  the  consul  at  Berne  to  use 
all  means  in  his  power  to  effect  the  removal  of  the 
odious  restrictions  complained  of,  which,  it  is 
understood,  exist  in  some  Cantons."^      Our  gov- 

*  Executive  Documents,  36th  Congress,  ist  Sess.,  No.  76. 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     223 

emment  and  the  Israelites  particularly  were  for- 
tunate at  this  time  in  being  represented  at  Berne 
by  so  accomplished  and  faithful  a  minister  as 
Hon.  Theodore  S.  Fay.  As  already  stated,  Mr. 
Fay,  in  1853,  had  interfered  in  behalf  of  a  Mr. 
Gootman.  His  work  now,  under  instructions  from 
Washington,  was  to  him  both  a  labour  of  love  and 
duty. 

The  correspondence  discloses  that  Mr.  Fay 
began  at  once  to  secure  redress  for  the  Jews,  and 
acted  with  persistency  and  vigour.  His  note 
submitted  to  the  Swiss  government  on  May  26, 
1859  (published  in  the  Israelite,  beginning  vol. 
vi..  No.  47,  and  completed  vol.  vii..  No.  11)  is 
a  most  exhaustive  and  conclusive  presentation  of 
the  question,  and,  in  time,  Mr.  Fay  succeeded  in 
inducing  many  of  the  Swiss  cantons  that  still  had 
restrictive  Jewish  laws  to  repeal  them. 

The  negotiations  extended  over  many  years,  and, 
like  all  diplomatic  matters,  especially  where  there 
was  no  cable  communication,  were  very  slow. 
Every  now  and  then  the  Israelite  would  manifest 
its  impatience.  On  Aug.  2"],  1858,'  the  Israelite 
printed  an  important  editorial  on  the  Swiss 
question,  in  which  a  report  of  an  interview  between 
the  Secretary  of  State  and  a  committee,  consisting 

I  Vol.  iv.,  No.  8. 


224  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

of  members  Cohen,  of  Baltimore,  Leopold,  of 
Cleveland,  and  Wise,  of  Cincinnati,  is  given.  Also 
a  summary  of  Mr.  Fay's  notes.  Commenting  on 
the  cantonal  restrictions  the  editor  says:  "It 
is  impossible  for  an  American  to  read  these  re- 
sponses [i.  e.,  cantonal  answers  on  restrictions] 
without  being  disgusted  with  the  loathsome  scent 
of  mediaeval  doctrines  and  views.  Yes,  indeed, 
there  is  enough  narrowness  of  mind  in  those  docu- 
ments to  counterbalance  all  the  illiberality  of 
Russia,  Rome,  and  Spain.  The  authors  of  these 
documents  always  speak  of  American  Israelites, 
without  reflecting  for  a  moment,  that  this  is  a 
term  unknown  in  American  constitutions  or  laws, 
unknown  to  the  power  with  which  they  entered 
upon  a  reciprocal  treaty;  hence  this  distinction 
can  not,  and  dare  not,  be  imposed  on  said  treaty. 
But  it  is  not  for  us  to  debate  the  question;  it  is 
now  in  the  hands  of  our  Government,  who  will  not 
suffer  any  citizen  to  be  wronged. " 

Commenting  on  this  editorial,  Mr.  Fay,  under 
date  of  October  28,  1858,  writing  to  General  Cass, 
says:  "Some  time  ago  I  received  a  copy  of  the 
Israelite,  an  American  newspaper,  containing  an 
article  on  the  Swiss  restrictions  against  the  Israel- 
ites, with  an  account  of  the  visit  of  the  editor  and 
other  Jewish  gentlemen  to  the  State  Department 


The  Editor  of  the  ** Israelite"     225 

in  August  last,  and  an  extract  from  my  dispatches, 
with  the  resume  forwarded  by  me  of  legislation  of 
the  Cantons  with  regard  to  the  Jews.  I  thought 
it  proper  to  show  this  to  President  Furrer,  who  had 
it  translated  and  placed  upon  the  table  of  the 
Federal  Council.  The  article  contained  some 
biting  remarks  in  language  most  unreserved,  but 
I  thought  it  better  to  show  it  myself,  rather  than 
it  should  be  sent  by  any  one  else.  I  have  no  doubt 
copies  of  it  will  be  communicated  to  the  Cantonal 
governments,  and  that  a  good  effect  will  be  pro- 
duced, although  not  so  good  as  if  the  language  had 
been  less  strong  than  the  arguments." 

This  letter  of  Mr.  Fay  and  the  various  articles 
quoted  above  show  conclusively  that  the  credit 
for  the  agitation  in  this  Swiss  treaty  matter  be- 
longs to  the  Israelite,  and  its  fearless  and  vigilant 
editor.  That  the  several  cantons,  w^ho  for  a  time 
persisted  in  their  harsh  regulations,  finally  yielded, 
and  that  the  American  Jew  was  accorded,  in 
the  end,  equal  privileges  with  his  fellow-citizens, 
was  the  work  of  Mr.  Theodore  S.  Fay.  All  honour 
to  him.  In  the  Israelite  of  May  4,  1859,^  the 
editor,  commenting  on  a  letter  received  from  Mr. 
Fay  expressing  his  hope  of  success,  says:  "Thus, 
Mr.  Fay  identifies  his  name  with  the  benefactors 

'  Vol.  vi.,  No.  44. 

XS 


226  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

of  Israel,  and  erects  for  himself  a  lasting  monu- 
ment of  gratitude  in  the  hearts  of  all  those  who 
sympathize  with  our  wronged  brethren." 

During  the  ensuing  decade  most  of  the  cantonal 
restrictions  against  the  Jews  were  removed,  and 
in  1874  religious  liberty  was  established  by  the 
Swiss  constitution,  and  thereafter  the  treatment 
of  aliens  became  a  federal  rather  than  a  cantonal 
question. 

THE  RUSSIAN  QUESTION 

The  Israelite  always  severely  criticized  Russia's 
attitude  towards  its  Jewish  subjects  and  the  Jews 
of  America.  As  early  as  November  16,  1855,^  the 
severity  of  Russia's  treatment  is  spoken  of,  and 
on  December  28,  1855,^  the  Israelite  rejoices  at 
the  defeat  of  Russia  in  Crimea.  "Russia,  the 
arch  enemy  of  civilization  and  enlightenment,  of 
equal  rights  and  liberty,  the  powerful  and  relent- 
less defender  of  privileges  and  exclusive  laws,  this 
taskmaster  of  thirty-four  millions  of  serfs,  Russia, 
the  gigantic  scarecrow  of  the  friends  of  liberty, 
was  chastised  and  humiliated  by  the  allied  powers 
in  the  year  1855. "  Throughout  the  next  quarter 
of  a  century  no  opportunity  for  criticizing  the 

^  Vol.  ii.,  No.  19.  '  Ibid.,  No.  25. 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     227 

Russian  policy  was  neglected.  In  March,  1879, 
the  Israelite  printed  a  letter  from  Mr.  H.  Rosen- 
straus,  a  citizen  of  this  country,  calling  attention 
to  the  great  discrimination  against  him  in  Russia 
because  he  was  a  Jew.  The  editor  immediately 
sent  his  son,  Leo  Wise,  to  Washington  to  investi- 
gate the  situation.  He  reported  that  Secretary 
of  State  Evarts  stated  nothing  could  be  done. 
Ever  since  April,  1879,  the  Israelite  maintained  a 
consistent  position  on  the  Russian  Jewish  question 
to  wit :  That  it  is  the  solemn  duty  of  this  govern- 
ment to  procure  the  same  rights  and  privileges  for 
all  its  citizens,  irrespective  of  race  or  creed,  and 
that  as  long  as  this  government  does  not  do  so, 
it  is  acting  unjustly  toward  the  Jew.  As  long  as 
an  American  citizen  of  Jewish  faith  is  denied  right 
to  travel  in  Russia  as  of  right,  this  government  is 
permitting  discriminations. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  more  than  a  decade 
after  Wise's  death  that  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  unanimously  endorsed  President  William 
H.  Taft's  action  in  abrogating  the  Russian  treaty 
because  no  assurances  would  be  given  that  an 
American  citizen  of  Jewish  descent  could  enjoy 
the  same  privileges  in  Russia  accorded  to  citizens 
of  other  religious  faiths. 


228      Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

THE  INFAMOUS  GRANT  ORDER  NO.  II 

On  December  17,  1862,  General  U.  S.  Grant, 
Department  Commander  of  the  armies  of  the 
United  States,  with  headquarters  at  Oxford,  Mis- 
sissippi, issued  the  following  order,  known  as 
General  Order  No.  11:  "The  Jews,  as  a  class, 
violating  every  regulation  of  trade  established 
by  the  Treasury  Department,  also  department 
orders,  are  hereby  expelled  from  the  department 
within  twenty-four  hours  from  the  receipt  of  this 
order  by  the  post  commander.  They  will  see  that 
all  this  class  of  people  are  furnished  with  passes 
and  requested  to  leave,  and  any  one  returning 
after  such  notification  will  be  arrested  and  held 
in  confinement  until  opportunity  occurs  of  send- 
ing them  out  as  prisoners,  unless  furnished  with 
permits  from  these  headquarters.  No  passes  will 
be  given  these  people  to  visit  headquarters  for  the 
purpose  of  making  personal  application  for  trade.  '* 

Toward  the  end  of  December,  1862,  the  Jews  of 
Cincinnati,  Louisville,  Memphis,  and  Paducah 
were  startled  at  the  information  received  from 
their  co-religionists  within  the  military  lines  of 
General  Grant  that  all  Jews  had  been  expelled 
from  the  department  of  General  Grant.  In  the 
Israelite  of  December  26,  1862,'  there  was  printed 

'  Vol.  ix..  No.  25. 


The  Editor  of  the  'Israelite"    .229 

a  general  order  of  Col.  John  V.  DuBois,  post  com- 
mander at  Holly  Springs,  Mississippi.  This  order 
used  the  following  insolent  language:  "On  ac- 
count of  scarcity  of  provisions  all  cotton  specula- 
tors, Jews,  and  other  vagrants,  etc.  .  .  .  having 
no  permission  from  the  Commanding  General 
will  leave  town  within  twenty -four  hours."  The 
Israelite  unmercifully  scored  Col.  DuBois,  and 
among  other  things  said:  "It  is  not  the  Jew,  it  is 
the  American  whom  that  order  disgraces.  In  us 
it  is  not  the  Jew  but  the  man  and  American  citizen 
who  feels  outraged  by  such  proceedings.  As  a 
Jew  we  feel  ourselves  in  our  religious  conviction 
far,  far  beyond  the  slanderous  jargon  of  anybody, 
far  beyond  the  reach  of  general  orders,  stump 
speeches,  or  other  ephemeral  pieces  of  paper. 
...  As  a  man  and  a  citizen,  however,  we  feel 
outraged  and  demand  justice  from  the  hands  of 
the  chief  magistrate  of  the  country.  We  send  this 
paper  to  the  President,  Mr.  Stanton,  Generals 
HaUeck,  Grant,  Rosecrans,  and  others,  and  hope 
they  will  bestow  proper  attention  on  the  subject. 
At  the  same  time,  however,  we  request  our  friends 
to  collect  all  orders  and  affidavits  on  this  point, 
to  be  brought  before  the  President,  and  to  be 
placed  on  record  for  future  reference,  for  informa- 
tion of  the  historian  who  will  render  an  impartial 


230  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

verdict."  In  the  issue  of  January  2,  1863,'  the 
paper  stated  that  the  Holly  Springs  order  had  been 
issued  in  accordance  with  instructions  from  Gen- 
eral Grant,  and  that  a  gentleman  within  the 
lines  doubting  the  order  and  asking  for  permission 
to  telegraph  the  General  was  arrested.  The 
editorial  comment  is  naturally  very  bitter  and 
pointed.  "Need  we  comment  on  this  handsome 
piece  of  military  despotism?  We  trust  not .... 
But  we  do  not  care  for  causes.  The  orders  above 
mentioned  do  exist,  and  this  suffices  to  alarm  every 
honest  friend  of  the  Republic.  Are  we  to  be 
slaves  of  military  chieftains?  Are  we  playthings 
in  the  hands  of  presumptuous  men  to  abuse  and 
maltreat  us  at  pleasure?  Are  we  frogs  and  mice 
to  be  trampled  under  anybody's  feet,  or  are  we 
men  who  stand  by  their  rights?  Is  there  no  law 
in  the  land,  no  authority  higher  than  bayonets? 
If  we  can  stand  this,  then  we  are  unworthy  of 
being  citizens  of  a  free  country.  If  we  do  stand 
all  this,  we  must  not  wonder  if  one  day  anybody 
will  treat  us  as  pariahs  and  outcasts  of  society. 
Israelites,  citizens  of  the  United  States,  you  have 
been  outraged.  Your  rights  as  men  and  citizens 
trampled  in  the  dust,  your  honour  disgraced  as  a 
class,   you  have  officially  been  degraded.     It  is 

» Vol.  ix.,  No.  26. 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     231 

your  duty,  your  duty  of  self-defence,  your  duty 
first  to  bring  this  matter  directly  before  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  and  demand  redress  and 
satisfaction  due  to  the  citizens  thus  mortified  and 
offended.  It  is  not  only  the  business  of  the  Jew 
to  look  to  these  matters,  it  is  everybody's  affair. 
...  If  the  Jews,  as  a  religious  community,  are 
handled  thus,  how  will  the  Catholics,  Unitarians, 
Universalists,  or  any  other  rcHgious  denomination 
be  treated,  if  a  general  or  provost  officer  sees  fit 
to  come  down  on  one  or  the  other?"  It  seems 
that  the  only  Cincinnati  papers  that  condemned 
these  orders  were  the  Enquirer  and  Volksfreund. 

A  meeting  of  Israelites  was  held  at  Cincinnati, 
and  a  committee,  consisting  of  Rabbis  Wise  and 
Lilienthal  was  appointed  to  meet  with  similar 
committees  from  Louisville  and  Paducah.  Before 
this  committee  arrived  at  Washington,  Mr.  Kas- 
kel,  of  Paducah,  went  to  Washington  and  was  in- 
troduced to  President  Lincoln  by  Congressman 
Gurley,  of  Cincinnati.  The  President  upon  learn- 
ing the  genuineness  of  the  order,  immediately 
directed  General  Halleck  to  revoke  it.  The 
Cincinnati  committee  learned  of  the  revocation  of 
the  order  at  Philadelphia  en  route  to  Washington. 
They  decided  to  go  to  Washington  and  meet  the 
President.     In  a  report  of  this  meeting  the  editor 


232  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

writes^:  "We  were  introduced  to  the  President, 
who,  being  all  alone,  received  us  with  that  frank 
cordiality  which,  though  usually  neglected,  be- 
comes men  high  in  office  so  well.  Having  ex- 
pressed our  thanks  for  the  promptness  and 
dispatch  in  revoking  General  Grant's  order,  the 
President  gave  utterance  to  his  surprise  that 
General  Grant  should  have  issued  so  ridiculous  an 
order,  and  added:  'To  condemn  a  class  is,  to  say 
the  least,  to  wrong  the  good  with  the  bad.  I  do  not 
like  to  have  a  class  or  nationality  condemned  on 
account  of  a  few  sinners. '  The  committee,  how- 
ever, succeeded  in  having  Congressman  George 
H.  Pendleton,  of  Cincinnati,  and  Senator  Powell, 
of  Kentucky,  introduce  resolutions  into  their  re- 
spective bodies  condemning  the  order.  Both 
resolutions  were  tabled  in  the  House  by  a  vote  of 
56  to  53  on  motion  of  Mr.  Washburne,  and  in  the 
Senate  by  a  vote  of  30  to  5  on  motion  of  Mr.  Hale. 
The  speedy  protest  on  the  part  of  the  Israelites  of 
Cincinnati,  Louisville,  and  Paducah,  in  which 
latter  city  the  order  was  put  in  force,  and  the 
insistence  of  fair  treatment,  brought  about  the 
revocation. 

In  the  winter  of  1868  General  Grant  was  men- 
tioned as  the  probable  Republican  candidate  for 

'  Israelite,  vol.  ix,,  No.  28. 


The  Editor  of  the  **  Israelite"     233 

President.  The  Israelite  of  February  28,  1868, 
vigorously  objected  to  his  nomination  on  account 
of  his  conduct  in  December,  1862.  After  General 
Grant's  nomination  the  Israelite  said  nothing 
about  the  order,  but  after  his  election  in  November, 
the  Israelite  "cheerfully  published"  the  following 
letter  of  General  Grant : 

Galena,  Sept.  14,  1868. 
Mr.  J.  N.  Morris, 
Dear  Sir  : — 

In  regard  to  order  No.  11,  hundreds  of  letters  have 
been  written  to  me  about  it  by  persons  of  the  faith 
affected  by  it.  I  do  not  or  did  not  answer  any  of  the 
writers,  but  permitted  a  statement  of  the  facts  con- 
cerning the  origin  of  the  order  to  be  made  and  given 
to  some  one  of  them  for  publication.  I  do  not  pretend 
to  sustain  the  order.    At  the  time  of  its  publication 

I  was  incensed  by  a  reprimand  received  from  Wash- 
ington for  permitting  acts  which  Jews  within  my  lines 
were  engaged  in.  .  .  .  This  order  was  issued  and 
sent  out  without  thinking  of  the  Jews  as  a  sect  or  race 
to  themselves.  .  .  .  Give  Mr.  Moses  assurances 
that  I  have  no  prejudice  against  sect  or  race,  but  want 
each  individual  judged  by  his  own  merits.     Order  No. 

II  does  not  sustain  this  statement,  I  admit,  but  then 
I  do  not  sustain  that  order.  It  never  would  have  been 
issued  if  it  had  not  been  telegraphed  the  moment  it 
was  penned  and  without  reflection. 

In  justice  to  General  Grant,  the  Israelite  of 
December  4,   1868,  said,  under  the  head,  "The 


234  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Mysteries  of  General  Grant's  Order  No.  ii": 
"With  the  advance  of  our  armies  in  the  South- 
west the  cotton  trade  began  to  claim  the  attention 
of  cotton  traders.  Some  prominent  gentlemen  in 
Washington,  Senators  and  high  officials  whose 
names  we  know,  but  do  not  wish  to  mention,  were 
the  first  and  most  extensive  cotton  dealers  at  the 
time,  and  realized  vast  profits  from  the  trade. 
Some  Jewish  houses  in  the  West  discovered  the 
opportunity  and  went  into  the  cotton  trade. 
This  was  an  unpleasant  opposition  to  the  Wash- 
ington operators,  for  the  Jews  paid  higher  prices, 
bought  cotton  up,  and  brought  the  speculators 
down  on  them ....  Nothing  was  easier  at  that 
time  than  to  play  chicaneries  on  the  Jews.  It  was 
given  out  that  the  Jews  smuggled  gold  across  the 
lines  to  purchase  cotton  of  the  rebels,  and  every- 
body was  ready  to  believe  and  to  add  in  explana- 
tion, 'All  Jews  buy  all  the  cotton,  and  all  of  them 
smuggle  all  the  gold. '  This  was  a  master-stroke, 
for  it  led  to  secret  instructions  from  headquarters 
to  all  commanders  in  the  West  to  look  after  the 
Jews.  .  .  .  All  these  chicaneries  and  outrages 
did  not  terrify  Jewish  traders  along  the  line 
especially  in  General  Grant's  department,  where 
most  of  the  cotton  was.  This  set  Washington 
operators  to  work  against  General  Grant.    .    .    . 


The  Editor  of  the  ''Israehte"     235 

On  the  17th  of  December,  1862,  General  Grant, 
at  Oxford,  Mississippi,  received  the  following 
instructions  from  Washington:  'We  are  reliably- 
informed  that  the  Jews  in  various  cities  are  buying 
up  the  gold  to  take  South  and  invest  in  cotton  that 
will  place  in  the  hands  of  rebels  increased  means 
to  carry  on  the  war.  That  should  be  prevented. 
You  will,  therefore,  take  measures  to  prevent  it 
in  your  department.'  The  natural  consequences 
of  this  peremptory  instruction  after  previous 
experience  from  headquarters,  was  the  issue  of 
order  No.  11,  exiling  Jews  from  the  Department 
of  Tennessee ....  The  order  came  from  Wash- 
ington."  The  editor  then  states  in  his  opinion 
that  some  high  officials  were  in  league  with  cotton 
speculators. 

The  position  of  the  Israelite  in  the  matter  of 
the  Grant  order  was  a  bold  one,  and  its  publication 
of  every  detail  connected  with  the  revocation  was 
important  to  the  American  Jew  at  that  time. 

THE  JEW  AS  A  CITIZEN 

The  Israelite  insisted  at  all  times  that  a  citizen  of 
the  Jewish  faith  was  an  American  in  nationality — 
a  Jew  in  religion.  Before  the  founding  of  the  paper, 
while  the  editor  was  doing  pioneer  work  at  Albany, 


236  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

it  was  the  fashion  of  the  day  to  hold  up  the  Jew 
to  ridicule  on  every  possible  occasion.  Wise's 
Reminiscences  contain  many  instances  of  his 
protest  against  such  outrage.  If,  perchance,  a 
crime  were  committed  by  a  Jew  the  press  of  that 
day,  unfortunately  also  of  today,  always  recorded 
that  a  "  German  Jew  "  did  so  and  so.  The  Israelite 
furnished  the  Jew  with  a  paper  that  looked  after 
his  welfare  and  protested  against  the  unjust 
treatment  received  at  the  hands  of  the  press  and 
public.  Whenever  there  appeared  in  public  prints 
anywhere  any  statement  derogatory  of  the  Jew, 
whenever  any  public  official  denounced  the  Jew 
or  in  any  way  spoke  of  him  as  differing  from  his 
neighbour,  save  in  religion,  the  unjustly  abused 
Jew  found  a  fearless  and  trenchant  defender  in 
the  Israelite.  The  editor  constantly  insisted  that 
in  America,  the  Jew  deserved  to  be  treated  like 
his  neighbour,  provided  he  conducted  himself 
properly. 

As  early  as  August  3,  1855,^  the  Israelite  re- 
prints a  letter  written  to  the  Boston  Daily  Times  in 
which  the  writer  speaks  of  Masons  as  Christians, 
and  says:  "No,  sir,  I  would  have  it  known  that 
here  in  Massachusetts,  Masonry  is  a  Christian, 
or  rather  a  Protestant  institution ;  Christian  as  it 

•  Vol.  ii.,  No.  4. 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israehte"     237 

merely  tolerates  Jews."  In  commenting  on  this 
letter  the  editor  says:  "The  principles  seemingly 
defended  in  the  above  article  are  anti-republican, 
and,  therefore,  a  pasquil  in  a  republican  country. 
They  tolerate  the  Jew;  we  say  this  is  a  falsehood. 
We  tolerate  the  Massachusetts  Episcopalians  or 
any  other  sect.  We  have  the  same  right  to  speak 
or  think  of  them  as  they  treat  us,  hence  we  tolerate 
them.  There  is  no  toleration  in  the  United  States, 
because  there  is  no  ruling  church;  there  is  a  con- 
stitution made  by  the  people  and  for  the  people, 
hence  none  can  say  who  tolerate  and  who  was 
tolerated." 

When  the  New  York  Tribune  printed  a  long 
article  giving  a  description  of  the  state  of  the 
Jews  in  Turkey,  interwoven  with  most  absurd 
misrepresentation,  the  Israelite,  August  15,  1856,^ 
in  an  editorial  by  associate  editor  Lilienthal, 
commented  as  follows:  "We  are  really  at  a  loss 
how  to  explain  the  fact  that  Horace  Greeley,  the 
champion  of  liberality,  permits  the  columns  of  his 
paper  to  be  used  for  such  mediaeval-like  calumnies 
and  disgraceful  stories ....  Sir,  the  pretension 
in  your  paper  that  we  are  strangers  wherever  we 
reside  is  false  and  untrue.  We  are  true  citizens 
of  this  great  and  glorious  republic,  and  have,  ever 

'  Vol.  iii.,  No.  6. 


238  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

since  we  inhabited  the  soil,  proved  by  actions  that 
we  are  Americans.  .  .  ,  We  are  Jews  in  re- 
ligious respect,  but  as  citizens  we  are  as  true  and 
devoted  to  our  country  as  any  denomination 
whatever." 

During  the  session  of  Congress,  1 860-1 861, 
Senator  Wilson,  of  Massachusetts,  in  a  speech 
delivered  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  reply- 
ing to  a  speech  of  Senator  Benjamin,  of  Louisiana, 
used  this  language:  "His  heart  .  .  .  was  in 
the  plot  ...  to  overthrow  the  government  of 
his  adopted  country,  which  gives  equality  of 
rights  even  to  that  race  that  stoned  prophets  and 
crucified  the  Redeemer  of  the  world. " 

The  Israelite,  in  the  issues  of  March  22  and  29, 
1 86 1,'  severely  criticized  Senator  Wilson  for  these 
remarks,  exposed  his  ignorance  of  historical  matter 
on  this  subject,  and  said:  "But  if  this  was  not  the 
case,  we  would  still  raise  our  voice  against  you, 
because  we  consider  it  outrageously  wrong  for  any 
man  to  abuse  the  authority  the  people  confide  in 
him  .  .  .  for  the  base  purpose  of  slandering, 
before  the  eyes  of  the  world,  a  race  of  men  and  a 
class  of  peaceable  citizens  who  have  no  defender, 
no  advocate  there  to  retaliate  for  them  or  plead 
their    cause.     Now,    sir,    you    did    insult    every 

'  Vol.  vii.,  Nos.  38,  39. 


The  Editor  of  the  "IsraeHte"     239 

Israelite  in  this  country  and  elsewhere;  we  do  not 
care  what  his  political  opinions  might  be."  The 
paper  demanded  an  explanation.  Evidently  none 
was  ever  given  by  the  Senator,  and  when  he  was 
nominated  for  Vice-President  in  1872,  the  Israelite 
denounced  him  and  reprinted  its  editorial  of  March 
29,  1861. 

The  main  object  of  the  Israelite  was  to  Ameri-  ,,  y 
canize  the  Jew  so  that  he  should  be  under  no  dis- 
advantage with  his  neighbour,  and  to  that  end  it 
seized  every  opportunity  to  expose  all  who  abused 
and  maltreated  the  Jew  solely  on  account  of  his 
religion.  The  files  of  the  paper  are  replete  with 
articles  of  the  character  quoted  above,  and  toward 
the  end  of  the  editor's  long  career  it  was  always 
a  source  of  great  satisfaction,  as  well  as  gratifica- 
tion to  him,  that  the  Jew  was  received  on  equal 
footing  with  his  neighbour,  and  that  religious 
hatred  and  ignorance  had,  in  a  very  great  measure, 
disappeared. 

The  Israelite  did  not  advocate  the  cause  of  any 
political  party.  However,  when  any  political 
party  supported  measures  that  tended  to  abridge 
the  rights  of  any  citizens,  or  that  in  any  way  leaned 
toward  sumptuary  legislation,  or  had  in  view  the 
furtherance  of  Christianity,  the  Israelite  did  not 
hesitate  to  speak  out  and  advocate  the  defeat  of 


240  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

such  party  and  its  measures.  The  editor,  himself, 
was  a  thorough  Democrat,  a  lover  of  freedom, 
opposed  to  all  sumptuary  and  class  legislation,  to 
all  attempts  to  Christianize  the  Constitution,  to 
Know-Nothingism,  and  centralization,  a  true  dis- 
ciple of  Jefferson,  and,  inasmuch  as  all  he  opposed 
was  advocated  by  the  Republican  party  of  1876, 
the  Israelite  boldly  espoused  the  cause  of  Tilden. 

The  Israelite,  however,  always  deprecated  the 
nomination  of  Jews  for  public  office,  with  the  hope 
of  solidifying  the  Jewish  vote.  To  deserve  its 
support,  the  candidate,  though  a  Jew,  must  be 
qualified  for  the  office.  The  editor  always  opposed 
and  discouraged  the  organization  of  Jewish  or 
Hebrew  political  clubs. 

In  the  issue  of  July  20,  1855,^  appears  an 
editorial  on  the  American  or  Know-Nothing  party, 
written  in  answer  to  a  complaint  that  no  notice 
was  taken  of  that  party  and  its  tenets  by  the  editor. 

"Nothing  is  more  disgusting  to  us,"  he  writes, 
"than  the  combination  of  religion  and  politics. 
If  office  seeking  poHticians  enlist  in  their  service 
the  religious  fanaticism  of  the  multitude,  they  are 
evidently  deprived  of  every  particle  of  patriotism, 
for  they  ought  to  know,  that  is  the  beginning  of  the 
most  furious  civil  war,  that  they  kindle  the  most 

'  Israelite,  vol.  ii.,  No.  2 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israehte"     241 

dangerous  passions  in  the  breast  of  men,  and  place 
the  most  destructive  arms  in  the  hands  of  an 
over-excited  multitude .... 

"It  is  perfectly  ridiculous  to  us  to  hear  our 
friends  speak  of  liberty  being  more  secure  in  the 
hands  of  Protestants   than   of  Catholics.    .    .    . 
Wherever  the  church  rules  there  is  no  liberty,  no 
equality,  and  none  to  expect  as  long  as  she  rules; 
but  there  is  no  difference  as  to  what  sect  pre- 
dominates.    This   country   has   disavowed   every 
connection   with   any   church,   and   therefore   we 
have  a  liberty  which  will  last  as  long  as  none  of  the 
sects  impress  their  intolerant  spirit  on  the  scheme 
of  government.     A  Protestant  government  has  as 
little  similitude  to  a  free  government  as  a  Catholic 
one  has.    .    .    .     Let  politics  be  not  a  matter  of 
the  church  if  you  desire  political  liberty.     But 
even  if  there  was  actually  anything  to  fear  from 
the  Romish  church  we  would  still  abhor  the  very 
idea  of  religious  intolerance.     Is  our  republic  so 
weak,    so   imsatisfactory   that   we   must   fear  its 
downfall  by  those  who  enjoy  its  benefits,   then 
it  is  high  time  that  the  politicians  repair  their 
deficiencies  instead  of  persecuting  those  who  are 
dissatisfied.     If  the  idea  of  Romanism  is  danger- 
ous to  the  republic,  are  the  Catholics  not  a  small 
minority?     Have  we  not  a  free  press,  liberty  of 
16 


242  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

speech?  Are  these  powerful  instruments  not 
strong  enough  to  guard  our  republican  institutions. 
.  .  .  We  beg  you  in  the  name  of  common 
sense  do  not  so  badly  slander  and  outrage  repub- 
licanism as  to  tell  us  that  the  lowest  and  most 
despicable  passions  of  man,  religious  fanaticism 
and  intolerance,  are  necessary  to  guard  republican- 
ism. Do  not  in  the  face  of  all  history,  past  and 
present,  endeavour  to  make  us  believe  Protestant 
fanaticism  is  any  better  than  Roman  fanaticism 
or  that  a  republic  with  exceptional  laws  with  a 
system  of  proscription  for  religious  opinions  is 
anything  like  a  republic.  A  republic  must  either 
have  nothing  to  do  with  religion  as  our  own,  or 
mankind  must  come  back  to  the  simple  principles 
of  Moses  and  the  Prophets.    ... 

"We  wish  nothing  and  expect  nothing  from  a 
religious  party,  we  only  want  them  to  settle  their 
religious  difficulties  in  their  churches  and  let  our 
political  affairs  alone.  Let  religion  be  unto  them 
a  fear  of  God  and  not  a  medium  to  obtain  public 
ofhce.  As  regards  the  maintenance  of  our  public 
institutions  we  want  no  churches  to  do  it;  the 
liberal  sentiments  of  the  generality,  the  free  press 
and  free  speech,  trial  by  jury  and  the  citizens  sol- 
diers are  all-sufficient  to  protect  our  constitution. 
Let  the  churches  adopt  measures  against  the  de- 


The  Editor  of  the  ''Israelite"     243 

moralization  of  their  members,  the  rest  will  be  all 
right.  The  people  of  this  country  are  no  children 
that  they  must  be  led  by  guardians,  by  Jesuits, 
priests,  bigots,  hypocrites.  We  can  pray  for  our- 
selves and  manage  our  own  affairs.  Let  them 
remain  in  their  proper  sphere  or  they  will  ruin 
their  churches. " 

Wise  has  been  criticized  because  he  did  not 
zealously  advocate  the  abolition  of  slavery  and 
because  he  favoured  the  Democratic  party  during 
the  war.  In  politics  he  naturally  was  a  disciple 
of  Thomas  Jefferson.  The  excerpts  from  his 
Reminiscences  and  his  editorial  writings  which 
have  been  reprinted  in  this  and  previous  chapters 
show  conclusively  his  patriotism.  He  was  unalter- 
ably opposed  to  any  restrictions  upon  personal 
liberty,  and  to  war.' 

The  Israelite  had  a  hard  financial  struggle  during 
the  early  years  of  its  existence,  and  was  just 
recovering  from  the  effects  of  the  1857  panic  when 
the  conflict  between  the  North  and  South  seemed 
imminent.  At  this  time  (i  860-1 861),  Wise  was 
working  very  hard  to  bring  about  a  union  of  Jewish 
congregations,  and  as  there  were  many  influential 
Jews  living  in  the  South,  he  believed  in  the  event 
of  disunion  his  project  would  be  doomed  to  defeat. 

'  See  note  2,  pages  177-78  supra. 


244  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Besides,  his  paper  had  a  large  subscription  list  in 
the  South,  and  he  felt  that  he  would  be  unable 
to  publish  his  paper  if  there  should  be  a  breach 
between  the  North  and  South.  Before  the  attack 
on  Fort  Sumter  he  was  opposed  to  disunion,  and 
hoped  some  compromise  would  be  reached  between 
the  two  sections.  Certainly  this  attitude  was  not 
uncommon  at  that  time.  He  opposed  then,  as  he 
always  did,  political  preaching,  maintaining  that 
politics  were  foreign  to  the  pulpit. 

Such  a  position,  however,  does  not  sustain  the 
charges  that  he  favoured  slavery.  Even  so  care- 
ful a  writer  as  Max  J.  Kohler,  in  his  article  on 
"The  Jews  and  the  Anti-Slavery  Movement,"' 
most  unjustly  charges  Wise  with  sanctioning 
slavery.  Mr.  Kohler  writes:  "Dr.  Raphall's  re- 
marks were  most  apologetic,  but  he  took  the 
square  stand  that  Judaism  sanctioned  slavery  and 
that  that  institution  was  morally  right.  Extreme 
as  his  position  was,  it  cannot  be  regarded  as 
original,  nor  did  it  lack  approval,  for  Dr.  Wise,  in 
the  American  Israelite,  and  Isaac  Leeser,  in  the 
Occident,  expressed  their  approbation  of  his  stand." 
As  far  as  Leeser  is  concerned,  Mr.  Kohler  is  cor- 
rect, and  his  citations,  the  Occident,  January  24, 
1861,  p.  268,  and  January  31,  1861,  p.  274,  bear 

'  American  Jewish  Historical  Society  Pub.,  vol.  v.-vi.,  p.  150. 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     245 

this  construction.  But  as  far  as  Wise  is  concerned, 
the  statement  is  absolutely  false,  and  his  refer- 
ences to  the  following  issues  of  the  Israelite, 
vol.  vii.,  pp.  172,  188,  205-6,  212,  220,  228,  230, 
244,  254,  334,  and  396,  do  not  contain  even  a 
scintilla  of  evidence  to  that  effect,  and  not  a  syl- 
lable from  which  such  an  inference  could  be 
drawn.  Why  Mr.  Kohler  misinterpreted  these 
articles  in  so  sweeping,  false,  and  unjust  a  manner 
it  is  difficult  to  understand. 

After  the  outbreak  of  hostilities,  after  Sumter 
had  been  fired  on.  Wise  wrote  in  the  Israelite_oi 
April  19,  1861,'  under  the  head,  "Silence  our 
Policy":  "They  say  civil  war  is  commenced.  .  .  . 
What  can  we  say  now?  Shall  we  lament  and  weep 
like  Jeremiah  over  a  state  of  things  too  sad  and  too 
threatening  to  be  looked  on  with  indifference.'* 
We  would  only  be  laughed  at ...  .  Or  should 
we  choose  sides  with  one  of  the  parties?  We  can- 
not, not  only  because  we  abhor  war,  but  also 
because  we  have  dear  friends  and  near  relatives, 
beloved  brethren  and  kinsmen  in  either  section 
of  the  country  that  our  heart  bleeds  in  thinking 
of  their  distress,  of  the  misery  that  might  befall 
them.  Therefore,  silence  must  henceforth  be  our 
policy,  silence  on  all  questions  of  the  day  until 

'  Vol.  vii.,  No.  42. 


246  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

conciliation  shall  move  the  hearts  of  millions  to 
a  better  understanding  of  the  blessings  of  peace, 
freedom,  and  union. "  And  so,  with  the  exception 
of  the  protest  against  the  infamous  Order  No.  il 
above  referred  to,  the  editor  was  silent  on  the  war. 
Lincoln  was  assassinated  on  Friday  night,  April 
14,  1865,  and  died  early  Saturday  morning.  The 
very  night  that  Lincoln  was  shot.  Dr.  Wise  de- 
livered a  peace  oration  at  the  synagogue,  and  on 
the  following  Sabbath  morning  he  preached  a  great 
eulogy  characterizing  Lincoln  as  the  "brightest 
jewel,  the  greatest  hero,  and  noblest  son  of  the 
nation."  The  Israelite  of  April  21,  1865,'  ap- 
peared in  heavy  mourning,  and  contained  a  full 
report  of  his  sermon  eulogizing  Lincoln. 

THE   BIBLE  AND  THE  CINCINNATI   PUBLIC   SCHOOLS 

In  1852,  the  Cincinnati  Board  of  Education 
adopted  a  resolution  providing  that  the  opening 
exercises  in  every  department  of  the  schools 
shall  commence  by  reading  a  portion  of  the  Bible, 
by  or  under  the  direction  of  the  teacher  with 
appropriate  singing  by  pupils.  On  September  28, 
1855,^  the  Israelite  said:  "We  agree  to  have  the 
Bible  read  in  the  com.mon  schools.     But  this  is  not 

I  Vol.  ix.,  No.  43.  ^  Vol.  ii.,  No.  12. 


The  Editor  of  the  **IsraeHte"     247 

the  case,  nor  is  it  intended  to  be  the  case.  There 
is  used  in  the  public  schools  an  English  translation, 
or  rather  a  version  of  the  Bible.  It  is  well  known 
that  every  sect  has  another  version  of  certain 
portions  of  the  Bible.  All  sects  are  entitled  to 
equal  rights,  hence  all  versions  of  the  Bible  must 
be  read  in  the  public  schools  or  none."  On 
November  i,  1869,  the  Cincinnati  Board  of  Educa- 
tion, by  a  majority  vote,  repealed  the  Bible  read- 
ing regulation  and  resolved  that  "Religious 
instruction  and  reading  of  religious  books,  includ- 
ing the  Holy  Bible,  are  prohibited  in  the  Common 
Schools  of  Cincinnati,  it  being  the  true  object  and 
intent  of  this  rule  to  allow  the  children  of  the 
parents  of  all  sects  and  opinions  in  matters  of 
faith  and  worship,  to  enjoy  alike  the  benefits  of 
the  Common  School  fund. "  Immediately  a  fierce 
controversy  was  begun  and  prominent  citizens 
engaged  eminent  counsel  to  enjoin  the  Board  of 
Education  from  excluding  the  Bible  from  the  pub- 
lic schools,  claiming  that  the  resolutions  were  in 
violation  of  law  and  against  public  policy  and 
morality  and  an  abuse  of  authority  vested  in  law. 
The  Israelite  took  a  decided  stand  in  the  matter, 
and  on  October  8,  1869,^  nearly  a  month  before 
the  injunction  suit  was  begun,  said,  inter  alia:  "We 

•  Vol.  xvii.,  No.  14. 


248  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

are  opposed  to  Bible  reading  in  the  schools.  We 
want  secular  schools  and  nothing  else.  Nor  has 
the  state  a  shadow  of  right  to  support  any  other. 
As  Jews  we  do  not  want  any  one  to  teach  our 
young  ones  the  religion  of  our  fathers.  We  do  it 
all  ourselves. 

"From  a  general  standpoint,  however,  we  are 
opposed  to  Bible  reading  in  the  school.  The 
American  people  consists  of  a  conglomeration  of 
nationalities  and  sects  united  by  the  Constitution 
and  laws  of  the  United  States,  the  common  in- 
terests and  the  love  of  liberty  and  independence. 
The  gist  of  the  whole  is,  we  agree  to  disagree  on 
every  point  except  public  government,  which  we 
agree  to  support,  maintain,  and  obey.    .    .    . 

"The  public  schools  are  institutions  for  the 
education  of  free,  intelligent,  and  enlightened 
citizens.  That  is  all.  To  this  end  we  need  good 
secular  schools  and  nothing  else.  The  state  has 
no  religion.  Having  no  religion  it  cannot  impose 
any  religious  instruction  on  the  citizen,  adult  or 
child.  The  Bible  is  a  book  of  reHgion — all  admit 
this.  By  what  right  is  it  imposed  on  the  public 
schools?" 

On  November  2,  1869,  Messrs.  Sage  &  Hinkle, 
WiUiam  M.  Ramsey  &  King,  Thompson  & 
Avery  filed  a  petition  in  the  Superior  Court  of 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     249 

Cincinnati  in  behalf  of  Minor,  et  al.,  vs.  the  Board 
of  Education,  to  enjoin  the  Board  from  exclud- 
ing the  Bible.  Messrs.  Stanley  and  Samuel  R. 
Matthews,  George  Hoadly,  Stallo  &  Kittredge,  and 
Walker  &  Connor,  City  Solicitors,  represented  the 
majority  members  of  the  Board.  The  case  was 
elaborately  and  exhaustively  argued  before  Judges 
Hagans,  Storer,  and  Taft  by  Messrs.  Sage,  Ram- 
sey, and  King  for  the  Bible  reading,  and  Messrs. 
Stallo,  Hoadly,  and  Stanley  Matthews  against 
the  reading.  The  court  granted  the  injunction. 
Judges  Hagans  and  Storer  each  delivering  a  fav- 
ourable opinion.  Judge  Taft  dissenting.  The 
Board  of  Education  carried  the  case  to  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  Ohio,  where  the  judgment  below 
was  reversed  and  the  right  of  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion to  dispense  with  the  reading  of  the  Bible 
fully  established. '  Since  that  time  there  has  been 
no  serious  attempt  made  to  introduce  religious 
exercises  into  the  Cincinnati  public  schools. 

In  July,  1874,  the  beginning  of  the  twenty-first 
year  of  the  Israelite^  the  name  of  the  paper  was 
changed  to  the  American  Israelite.  In  announc- 
ing the  change  of  name,  the  editor  made  the  follow- 
ing announcement:  "The  Israelite  has  organized 
an  American  Israel,  and  this  was  one  of  its  main 

'  Board  of  Education  vs.  ^vlinor,  23,  Ohio  State  Reports,  211. 


250  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

objects.  The  Hebrew  is  Americanized  and  his 
religion  is  naturalized,  they  are  no  longer  strangers, 
and  they  are  perfectly  at  home  in  this  blessed 
country.  .  .  .  The  Israelite  will  be  called  the 
American  Israelite,  to  be  distinguished  from  all 
other  organs  of  the  same  name  in  this  or  in  other 
countries." 

Isaac  Mayer  Wise  was  a  great  editor,  and  during 
the  years  1854  to  1900,  he  wrote  continuously. 
Between  1854  and  1873,  his  leaders  dealt  with  the 
necessity  for  a  union  of  American  congregations 
and  the  establishment  of  a  theological  institute 
for  the  proper  training  of  Jewish  ministers.  After 
the  union  was  established  and  the  Hebrew  Union 
College  opened  he  continued  to  work  for  their 
support. 

In  addition  to  this  special  task  he  was  the  watch- 
man in  the  tower,  ever  guarding  the  political  and 
civil  rights  of  the  Jews,  sufficient  proof  of  which 
fact  has  already  been  given  in  this  chapter.  In 
later  years  his  leading  articles  consisted  of  ab- 
stracts of  sermons  and  lectures.  In  the  columns 
of  the  Israelite  will  be  found  nearly  all  his  great 
sermons,  lectures,  and  treatises.  He  published  in 
the  paper  likewise  his  annual  reports  as  president 
of  the  Hebrew  Union  College  and  the  Central 
Conference  of  American  Rabbis.     During  his  long 


The  Editor  of  the  ''IsraeHte"     251 

editorial  career,  the  Israelite  rarely  appeared  with- 
out containing  some  article  from  his  pen. 

He  travelled  frequently  for  the  purpose  of 
dedicating  synagogues,  laying  corner-stones  of 
new  temples,  inducting  rabbis  into  office,  deliver- 
ing lectures,  making  propaganda  for  the  union  and 
the  college,  and  attending  conventions  and  con- 
ferences, and  on  these  occasions  he  would  be  the 
faithful  reporter  of  these  various  events,  which 
were  published  as  editorial  correspondence. 

In  the  forty-six  volumes  of  the  Israelite  will  be 
found  many  valuable  autobiographical  references. 
Wise  wrote  few  letters,  and,  unfortunately,  only  a 
small  number  of  these  have  been  preserved.  He, 
however,  had  a  large  number  of  correspondents 
in  this  country  and  abroad,  and  these  he  answered 
in  his  journal.  No  editor  was  ever  more  faithful. 
He  could  "make  copy  "  easily.  He  wrote  a  legible 
hand,  and  prepared  his  own  manuscript.  When 
stenographers  came  in  vogue  he  tried  to  dictate  to 
them  but  was  never  able  to  do  so,  and  the  use  of  a 
typewriter  was  out  of  the  question.  The  physical 
labour  alone  was  almost  herculanean.  He  con- 
tinued his  editorial  work  to  the  end,  and  on  the 
day  of  his  funeral,  Thursday,  March  29,  1900, 
appeared  volume  xlvi..  No.  39,  of  the  Americari 
Israelite,  containing   many  articles  from  his  pen 


252  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

which  had  been  sent  to  the  printer  on  Friday, 
March  25,  1900,  the  day  before  he  was  stricken. 

During  his  long  editorial  career  he  rarely  in- 
dulged in  personalities,  and,  while  a  severe  and 
trenchant  critic,  he  was  always  a  generous  op- 
ponent. J  His  controversies  with  the  leaders  of 
orthodox  Judaism  were  never  bitter,  and  he  never 
indulged  in  abusive  criticism  or  descended  to  the 
depth  of  the  vulgarity  used  against  him.  During 
the  last  quarter  of  a  century  of  his  life  he  rarely 
read  the  opposition  press  in  which  he  was  roimdly 
abused  week  after  week. 

In  July,  1855,  he  began  the  publication  of  a 
German  weekly  called  Die  Deborah,  with  the 
motto  "Forwaerts  Meine  Seele."  This  journal,  of 
which  he  was  very  fond,  was  a  small  eight-page 
paper  published  weekly  in  German.  In  its  col- 
umns appeared  his  more  intimate  articles,  and 
he  frequently  spoke  of  the  paper  as  his  "waste 
basket."  Through  its  columns  he  would  answer 
foreign  correspondents  who  wrote  to  him  in  Ger- 
man. His  most  valuable  contributions,  not  only 
to  this  journal,  but  to  the  history  of  Judaism  in 
America,  are  his  famous  Reminiscences  which  were 
published  in  Die  Deborah  from  July  3,  1874,  to 
August  II,  1875,  and  treat  of  the  first  eleven  years 
of   his   life   in    America,    1846   to    1857.     These 


The  Editor  of  the  "Israelite"     253 

Reminiscences,  which  have  been  largely  dra-um  on 
in  the  preparation  of  this  work,  are  charming, 
interesting,  and  contain  a  faithful  picture  of  the 
conditions  of  Judaism  in  America  during  the 
decade  1846- 1856.  Unfortunately  they  ended 
abruptly.  Wise  did  not  wish  to  continue  them, 
as  he  did  not  desire  to  give  offence  to  many 
leading  rabbis  and  prominent  Jews  who  had 
opposed  him  in  his  work  for  the  union  and  the 
college. 

Rev.  Dr.  David  Philipson,  of  Bene  Israel  con- 
gregation of  Cincinnati,  translated  these  Remi- 
niscences shortly  after  he  came  to  Cincinnati  in 
1889.  This  translation,  which  is  carefully  done, 
preserves  the  charm  and  spirit  of  the  original 
German.  The  translation  appeared  weekly  in  the 
American  Israelite  between  May  24,  1900,  and 
January  10,  1901.  In  March,  1901,  they  were 
issued  in  book  form  with  an  appropriate  introduc- 
tion. In  Die  Deborah  will  be  found  many  stories 
and  some  good  verse  by  Wise.  In  July,  1899,  in 
the  salutatory  to  vol.  xlv.  of  Die  Deborah,  Wise 
says  that  it  is  the  second  oldest  Jewish  German 
weekly  in  the  world.  He  further  states  that  many 
believe  it  to  be  a  miracle  that  the  paper  has  existed 
for  forty-four  years,  during  which  time  ten  other 
weeklies    and    monthlies    suspended    publication. 


254  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

He  explains,  however,  naively:  "But  it  is  no 
miracle  since  the  editor  worked  for  nothing  and 
the  publisher  yearly  lost  money.  .  .  .  We 
wanted  to  keep  it  up  for  those  who  enjoyed  it. 
.  .  .  Also  to  have  a  German  Jewish  organ  .  .  . 
as  a  bond  between  us  and  the  greater  part  of 
European  co-religionists.  .  .  .  "  With  the 
death  of  Dr.  Wise  the  pubHcation  of  the  "faith- 
ful" Deborah  ceased. 

Without  the  Israelite  and  Die  Deborah,  Wise 
would  have  never  been  able  to  accomplish  his 
life's  work,  for  he  early  realized  the  power  of  the 
press. 

In  the  winter  of  1884,  he  delivered  a  series  of 
Friday  night  lectures  on  "The  Genesis  and  Con- 
tents of  Modern  American  Judaism."  In  the 
American  Israelite  of  April  4,  1884,^  is  a  report  of 
one  of  these  lectures.  He  says:  "Those  familiar 
with  American  Judaism  will  readily  admit  that 
it  was  built  up  and  promulgated  by  these  Cincin- 
nati organs  in  which  not  only  Lilienthal,  Kalisch, 
Rothenheim,  Sonnenschein,  Zindorf,  Hahn,  and 
other  distinguished  men  could  give  utterance  to 
their  ideas  and  opinions,  but  in  which  laymen  and 
dilettantes  were  largely  encouraged  to  speak,  and 
they    did    speak,    .    .   which     made    Judaism   a 

'  Vol.  XXX,,  No,  40. 


The  Editor  of  the  "IsraeHte"     255 

popular  theme  among  American  Israelites  and 
American  Christians.  Most  of  the  rabbis  kept 
aloof  from  the  American  Israelite,  and  many  of 
them  were  bitter  enemies  and  violent  opponents. 
.  .  .  American  Judaism  had  to  be  built  up 
without  their  aid,  and,  in  many  instances,  in  spite 
of  their  opposition.  While  men  like  Einhorn, 
Adler,  Hirsch,  and  Huebsch,  and  other  prominent 
and  learned  men  were  faithful  to  the  cause  of  re- 
form, and  did  beneficial  work  in  their  various 
spheres,  they  alas!  but  Germanized  instead  of 
Americanized,  and  particularized  instead  of  unit- 
ing. They  stood  with  one  foot  in  Europe  and  it 
took  them  a  long  time  to  find  out  their  mistake. 
Some  never  did,  some  never  helped.  Thus, 
American  Judaism  was  forced  to  grow  out  of  the 
American  Israelites,  out  of  the  heart  and  soul  of 
our  people,  from  the  hands  of  men  of  practical 
piety  and  practical  work,  who  went  at  it  with  their 
usual  energy  and  a  rare  liberality;  the  American 
Israelite  was  their  organ,  and  their  advocate,  their 
helpmate,  and  is  today  the  only  organ  of  American 
Judaism  in  this  country,  while  all  other  Jewish 
organs  are  engaged  either  in  local  matters,  or  in 
defence  of  some  peculiar  system  of  foreign  and 
outlandish  orthodoxy  or  seek  the  glory  to  be 
known  as  the  opponents  of  the  American  Israelite. 


256  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

So  American  Judaism  was  built  up  as  far  as  the 
press  is  concerned." 

Surely  in  the  history  of  journalism  in  America 
the  name  of  Isaac  Mayer  Wise  is  entitled  to  rank 
with  the  great  editors  and  leaders  of  thought. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  UNION  OF  AMERICAN  HEBREW  CONGREGATIONS 

The  greatest  achievements  of  Isaac  Mayer 
Wise  were  the  organization  of  the  Union  of 
American  Hebrew  Congregations  and  the  foimd- 
ing  of  the  Hebrew  Union  College. 

In  1873,  success  finally  crowned  his  work  of  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  Almost  immediately 
after  his  arrival  in  this  country  he  realized  that 
the  interests  of  Judaism  in  America  could  not  be 
furthered  unless  there  was  a  union  of  various 
congregations  and  an  institution  where  young 
men  could  be  educated  for  the  ministry.  In  a 
previous  chapter^  of  this  book  the  story  of  the 
first  steps  taken  for  union  in  1848-49  has  been 
told.  After  that  movement  failed  Wise  was  sorely 
disappointed,  and  for  the  time  he  discontinued 
his  efforts  for  a  union  and  a  college,  but  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  remain  inactive,  and  within 
a  short  time  after  the  1849  fiasco,  he  again  began 
to  agitate  the  question  that  was  uppermost  in  his 

'  Chapter  VI. 

17  257 


258  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

mind.  In  his  famous  call  of  1848  he  had  written: 
"I  will  be  silent  about  the  casuistic  theology  and 
ask  only  the  community  at  large,  'What  will  be- 
come of  our  synagogues:  What  of  our  youth?' 
You  see  we  have  no  system  for  our  worship  nor 
for  our  ministry  and  schools,  and  we  are,  therefore, 
divided  into  as  many  fragments  as  there  are  con- 
gregations in  America.  It  is  lamentable,  but 
true,  that  if  we  do  not  unite  ourselves  betimes  to 
devise  a  practical  system  for  the  ministry  and  for 
religious  education  at  large,  if  we  do  not  care  that 
educated  men  fill  the  pulpit  and  the  schoolmaster's 
chair,  .  .  .  the  house  of  the  Lord  will  be  desolate 
or  nearly  so,  in  less  than  ten  years.  ...  I  pro- 
claim before  the  world,  before  the  present  and  the 
future  that  something  must  be  done  to  defend 
and  maintain  our  sacred  faith.  Nor  is  it  too  late. 
Everything  can  be  done  if  we  are  united  before 
God." 

Within  a  few  years  thereafter  he  was  pointing 
out  almost  weekly  in  the  Asmonean  the  necessity 
of  having  educated  men  in  the  pulpit  and  of  found- 
ing a  college  where  English  speaking  rabbis  could 
be  educated.  On  August  19,  1853,  he  published 
in  the  Asmonean  his  "Plan  for  an  American  He- 
brew College. "  Excerpts  from  this  article  appear 
in  Chapter  IX  of  this  book. 


ISAAC    M.    WISE 
AET.   60 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      259 

When  he  received  a  call  from  Cincinnati  in  the 
fall  of  1853,  he  accepted  principally  because  he 
saw  an  opportunity  in  the  growing  West  of  realiz- 
ing his  dream  of  a  college,  as  is  shown  by  his  letter 
of  acceptance:  "I  am  a  friend  of  bold  plans  and 
grand  schemes,  therefore  I  entertain  the  hope  that 
the  Talmud  Yelodim  Institute  will  in  a  few  years 
realize  my  fervent  wish  of  a  Hebrew  College 
.  .  .  as  I  have  frequently  uttered  the  idea  in 
the  Asmonean/^  Within  three  months  after  his 
arrival  in  Cincinnati  the  Israelite  was  published 
and  the  campaign  for  a  college  was  launched  once 
more. 

In  the  second  issue  of  the  Israelite,  July  21, 
1854,'  under  the  head,  "What  Should  Be  Done," 
attention  is  called  to  the  lack  of  schools  and  text- 
books. "All  these  difficulties  could  be  overcome 
by  a  Union  of  the  American  Judaic  Congregations, " 
The  following  week  the  editor  wrote:  "We  ought 
to  be  American  Israelites,  i.  e.,  American  as  men 
and  citizens,  and  Israelites  in  our  religion.  .  .  . 
The  Israelite  is  an  American  as  soon  as  he  enjoys 
the  privileges  which  our  Constitution  guarantees 
to  the  citizen.  .  .  .  Let  us  educate  our  min- 
isters here  in  our  own  college,  and  we  will  soon 
have  American  ministers,  American  congregations, 

'  Vol.  i.,  No.  2. 


26o  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

and  an  American  Union  of  Israelites  for  religious 
and  charitable  institutions.  Let  us  have  American 
trained  leaders,  and  they  will  educate  for  us 
American  citizens. " 

In  October,  1854,  Wise  proposed  a  plan  to  es- 
tablish a  Zion  College,  and  he  advocated  the 
organization  throughout  the  country  of  Zion  col- 
legiate associations  which  should  contribute  to  the 
support  of  that  college.  In  Cincinnati  an  associa- 
tion of  three  hundred  members  was  established, 
and  Louisville,  where  Wise  had  lectured,  also 
formed  such  an  organization.  Later  similar  so- 
cieties were  formed  in  New  York,  Cleveland,  and 
Baltimore.  This  project,  however,  met  with 
little  support  outside  of  Cincinnati.  In  the  spring 
of  1855,  the  Asmonean,  commenting  upon  the  plan 
said :  "We  hope  that  our  children  will  at  no  distant 
day  see  an  Israelite  college  in  every  state  of  the 
Union."  Dr.  Wise  replied  in  the  Israelite  of 
March  23,  1855,^  writing:  "We  hope  we  shall  at 
no  great  distant  day  see  one  grand  and  complete 
Israelite  college  for  all  states  of  the  Union.  Many 
petty  institutions  might  flourish  in  this  country, 
but  a  university  worthy  of  the  talents,  lofty  con- 
ceptions, and  practical  sense  of  the  Jewish  mind 
requires  the  support  of  all.     As  long  as  we  have 

»  Vol.  i.,  No.  37. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      261 

no  grounds  to  shout  glory  for  the  privileged  of 
New  York,  we  go  in  for  Cincinnati  on  account  of 
its  central  location,  and  the  readiness  of  our 
brethren  to  make  great  sacrifices  for  this  national 
cause,  and  whenever  we  shall  be  convinced  that 
New  York  is  the  place  for  it,  we  shall  advocate 
such  a  conviction." 

In  the  fall  of  1855  Zion  College,  supported  by- 
associations  organized  for  that  purpose,  was 
opened  with  fourteen  students,  two  of  whom  were 
Christians.  The  institution  had  three  paid 
teachers  and  two  volunteer  professors,  Lilienthal 
and  Wise.  The  opening  of  the  college  was  cele- 
brated by  a  banquet  at  which  the  Governor-elect 
of  the  State,  Salmon  P.  Chase,  afterwards  Chief- 
Justice  of  the  U.  S.  Supreme  Court,  spoke.  But 
as  the  institution  received  little  support  outside 
of  Cincinnati  it  was  soon  discontinued.  Wise 
believed  that  if  he  had  made  an  effort  to  gain  sup- 
port for  this  college  in  the  West  and  South,  rather 
than  in  the  East,  he  would  have  succeeded,  and 
twenty  years  later  this  plan  was  pursued. 

During  the  spring  and  summer  of  1855,  Wise 
advocated  the  holding  of  a  conference  composed 
of  rabbis  and  laymen,  and  in  the  Israelite  of 
August  10,  1855,  appears  a  call  signed  by  nine 
rabbis  for  such  a  conference  to  be  held  at  Cleve- 


262  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

land,  on  October  17,  1855,  to  deliberate,  among 
other  matters,  upon  the  articles  of  Union  of 
American  Israelites,  and  a  plan  for  scholastic 
education. 

This  conference  did  not  succeed  in  establishing 
the  desired  union,  and  its  work,  which  will  be 
considered  more  in  detail  in  a  later  chapter, 
widened  the  breach  between  the  Jewish  radicaHsm, 
orthodoxy,  and  reform  between  the  East  and  the 
West.  Notwithstanding  the  second  failure  for 
union,  Wise  continued  his  agitation  for  union. 
On  January  4,  1856,^  he  writes:  "We  must  have  a 
union  at  any  risk  or  sacrifice,  principles  excepted. 
This  should  be  the  watchword  of  every  right- 
minded  Israelite.  We  are  almost  the  first  genera- 
tion of  Israel  in  America.  We  must  prepare  for 
the  future  of  our  faith.  There  rests  upon  our 
shoulders  the  future  development  of  Judaism  in 
this  country.  .  .  .  We  must  have  a  university 
in  which  our  national  Hterature  has  a  seat  and  a 
voice ....  Must  not  w^e,  as  well  at  least  as  the 
other  religious  denominations,  also  establish  and 
support  a  seat  of  learning?  .  .  .  Our  national 
literature,  the  richest  bequest  of  antiquity,  the 
only  oasis  in  the  boundless  desert  of  the  Middle 
Ages,  the  foundation  of  all  laws,  ethics,  and  religion 

'  Israelite,  vol.  ii.,  No.  26. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      263 

of  the  civilized  world,  .  .  our  national  literature 
should  have  no  home  in  this  land  of  the  free?  .Let 
him  say  'no'  who  can.  We  shall  say  'yes'  to  the 
end  of  our  days ....  We  must  have  a  place  to 
teach  or  to  examine  our  teachers,  ministers,  and 
rabbis  that  the  outrageous  imposition  now 
practised  on  congregations  be  forever  stopped. 
Whoever  chooses,  is  a  minister,  wears  a  white 
handkerchief  around  his  neck,  styles  himself  a  rev- 
erend, makes  laws,  establishes  customs,  is  an  au- 
thority, and  severs  congregations  from  each  other. 
Knowledge  or  no  knowledge,  talent  or  none,  piety 
or  hypocrisy,  this  is  not  the  question ;  the  congrega- 
tion stands  in  need  of  a  minister  or  teacher;  one 
comes,  offers  his  services,  pleases  the  leading  men 
or  ladies,  and  he  is  the  long-expected  IMessiah. 
This  must  have  an  end  if  Judaism  is  not  to  be 
buried  under  the  ruins  which  they  heap  upon  it. 
To  effect  these  aims  we  must  have  a  union.  The 
different  parties,  representing  different  theories, 
must  recognize  each  other  as  Jews  upon  a  firm 
basis,  must  have  confidence  in  each  other.  ,  .  . 
Jealousy,  suspicion,  and  selfishness  must  fall  to  rise 
no  more.  Union  and  fraternity  must  unfurl  their 
glorious  banner  to  unite  under  it  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  Israel.  .  .  .  Such  were  the  ideas 
leading  to  the  Cleveland  conference.     Therefore, 


264  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

they  laid  down  the  articles  of  union,  which,  when 
properly  understood,  no  Jew  pretending  to  abide 
within  the  pale  of  Judaism  will  or  can  reject.  The 
day  is  not  far  distant  when  every  pious  and  intelli- 
gent Israehte  will  be  obliged  to  confess  '  The  stone 
which  the  builders  rejected  has  become  the  head 
of  the  comer. '  .  .  .  Ill-fated  Germany  and  the 
neglected  synagogue  of  England  assign  the  fate  of 
Judaism  to  petty  tyrants,  the  chief  rabbis,  who, 
backed  by  their  respective  governments,  have,  it 
is  true,  inflicted  many  a  wound  on  Israel's  faith, 
still  have  preserved  it  intact,  protected  it  against 
the  horror  of  disunion  to  an  alarming  extent.  In 
America,  thank  God,  we  have  no  chief  rabbis,  no 
religious  despotism,  and  none  to  apprehend.  Here 
our  union  must  be  preserved  by  a  republican 
body,  a  synod  consisting  of  ministers  and  delegates 
elected  by  the  congregations.    .    .    ." 

On  October  31,  1856,'  in  an  editorial,  "Our 
Protest,"  Wise  writes:  "As  we  with  heart  and 
soul  protest  against  radicalism,  so  we  most  em- 
phatically do  against  the  practice  of  American 
congregations  in  appointing  ministers  of  congrega- 
tions who  have  not  the  least  knowledge  nor  the 
remotest  comprehension  of  Jewish  theology .... 
We  want  men  of  knowledge  w^ho  know  our  creed 

'  Israelite,  vol.  iii.,  No.  7. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      265 

and  our  literature,  who  know  it  from  its  primitive 
sources  and  are  capable  of  expounding  it.  The 
preservation  of  Israel's  religion  in  this  country;  the 
mission  of  our  nation ;  the  will  of  God  requires  this 
protest  from  our  hands. 

"But  in  order  to  effect  this  necessary  reform 
three  things  are  requisite:  (i)  The  condition  of  the 
ministers  must  be  improved  decidedly  and  radi- 
cally; (2)  We  must  at  present  get  ministers  from 
Europe;  (3)  We  must  establish  a  theological  sem- 
inary.    This,  and  only  this,  is  the  remedy. " 

In  October,  1856,  Dr.  JNIerzbacher,  of  New  York, 
one  of  the  few  learned  and  progressive  rabbis  in  the 
countr}^,  and  a  friend  and  supporter  of  Dr.  Wise, 
died.  In  the  November  7,  1856,^  issue,  in  an 
editorial,  "Dr.  Merzbacher's  Death  and  the 
Ideas  it  Suggests,"  Wise  wrote:  "We  have  no 
school  to  educate  the  champions  of  Israel,  and  no 
desire  to  establish  one.  We  have  plenty  of  money 
to  spend  for  any  and  every  article  of  luxury.  We 
are  rich,  very  rich,  make  plenty  of  money.  But 
Judaism,  the  Synagogue,  the  future  of  our  great 
cause,  our  mission  among  the  nations,  the  honour 
and  position  of  Israel's  religion, — let  us  be  silent, 
dumb  with  shame  and  blush.  .  .  .  With  pain- 
stricken  heart  we  look  into  future  days  and  see 

^  Israelite,  vol.  iii.,  No.  i8. 


266  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

angels  weeping  around  the  coffin  of  American 
Judaism,  because  none  consoled  her  of  all  her 
friends.  The  indifferent  look  on  with  indifference ; 
I  cannot.  Had  I  the  power  of  thunder,  I  would 
cry  my  pain  in  every  heart  until  they  awake  and 
act  in  behalf  of  God  and  Israel."  So  week  after 
week  through  the  coming  decades  the  Thorlike 
editorials  continued  to  appear.  The  following  are 
extracts  from  the  most  powerful  editorials  on  this 
subject:  In  the  November  26,  1858,'  issue,  under 
the  head,  "The  Education  of  Rabbis  and  Teach- 
ers," he  writes:  "It  is  admitted  on  all  hands  that 
unless  we  educate  young  men  for  the  office  of  rabbis 
and  teachers,  Judaism  in  the  next  generation  will 
retrogade.  ...  It  is  a  settled  fact,  however, 
that  the  next  generation  of  American  Israelites 
will  speak  neither  German  nor  French  as  the  usual 
vehicles  to  express  their  thought;  they  will  be 
American  in  views,  principles,  and  habits  and  will 
speak  English.  England  educates  no  rabbis,  hence 
in  the  next  generation  the  synagogue  will  be  with- 
out a  rabbi,  and  the  schools  without  teachers. 
Our  cause  in  America  requires  American  rabbis 
and  teachers  with  American  principles  and  elo- 
quence, who  are  thoroughly  acquainted  with  our 
mode  of  thinking  and  believing,  our  sentiments 

'  Israelite,  vol.  v.,  No.  21. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      267 

and  convictions  as  they  are  to  inculcate  God's 
words  in  American  hearts;  therefore  we  must 
educate  American  rabbis  and  teachers.  .  .  , 
All  the  flourishing  establishments  in  this  country 
are  supported  by  the  state,  the  church,  or  other 
corporate  body.  .  .  .  The  experiment  made 
with  Zion  College  Association  proves  practically 
that  the  scheme  was  impracticable,  hence  the  ba- 
sis of  that  scheme  can  not  be  tried  a  second  time. 
We  wish  those  of  our  friends  who  are  better  finan- 
ciers than  we  are  (this  is  our  weakest  point)  would 
propose  a  plan  to  carry  the  above  design  into 
practice.  ...  It  is  every  Israelite's  solemn  duty 
to  take  this  matter  into  serious  consideration. 
Something  must  be  done.  This  is  quite  clear  to 
almost  every  impartial  man.  What  and  how  it  is 
to  be  done  best  is  the  question  we  propose  to  the 
public  and  to  our  humble  self.  Let  us  not  forget 
to  reflect  on  the  subject." 

And  he  took  good  care  that  no  one  should  forget 
to  consider  the  question.  In  the  April  29,  1859,^ 
issue  he  suggested  that  every  congregation  should 
collect  fifty  cents  per  capita  for  the  creation  of  a 
fund  to  enable  young  American  Jewish  scholars 
to  pursue  their  theological  studies  abroad.  On 
March  9,  i860,  ^  in  an  editorial,  "  Remember  This," 

'  Israelite,  vol.  v.,  No.  43.  '  Ibid.,  vol.  vi.,  p.  284. 


268  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

he  calls  attention  to  the  great  scholars  Judaism 
produced,  Maimon,  Spinoza,  Mendelssohn,  Boerne, 
Heine,  and  adds:  "We  have  one  National  litera- 
ture. This  is  the  basis  and  cause  of  our  oneness. 
Therefore,  the  knowledge  of  this,  our  literature, 
and  the  united  desire  to  inquire  after  the  truth,  is 
not  only  our  private  duty  and  satisfaction,  is  not 
only  for  us  and  our  children,  for  us  and  our  neigh- 
bours, it  is  the  glorious  bond  of  Israel's  union  all 
over  the  earth,  the  earthly  representative  of  God 
enthroned  among  Israel. 

"If  Israel's  sacred  inheritance  should  be  pre- 
served intact,  we  must  unitedly,  and  all  of  us, 
support  and  preserve  our  synagogues,  schools, 
and  literature,  and  truth  must  be  the  main  object 
of  these  institutions." 

On  November  2,  i860,'  in  an  editorial,  "The 
College, "  he  states  that  he  had  completed  arrange- 
ments for  the  opening  of  a  college  in  September, 
1 86 1.  There  were  to  be  three  departments,  He- 
brew, Classical,  and  Commercial.  Then  came 
the  great  Civil  War  and  all  plans  came  to  naught. 
Meanwhile  the  Jews  were  being  treated  with  dis- 
dain, and  there  were  few  to  resent  insults.  The 
Israelite  of  November  19,  1862,^  insisted  that  the 
fault  lay  in  the  lack  of  knowledge  of  Judaism  and 

'  Israelite,  vol.  vii.,  page  140.  '  Vol.  ix  .,  p.  188. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      269 

English.  "This  can  be  remedied  only  in  one  way, 
by  a  college  of  our  own,  a  college  .  .  .  where 
Judaism  is  taught  from  its  original  sources.  .  .  . 
'  Here  we  are  again  on  our  old  hobby  horse, '  oiu* 
opponents  will  say,  but  we  mean  to  ride  it  until  we 
are  released  by  a  better  labourer;  we  shall  never 
cease  to  cry  aloud  'In  the  Wilderness  prepare  the 
way  of  the  Lord.'  ...  As  long  as  w^e  must 
import  our  ministers  and  writers,  we  will  be  or- 
phans in  America,  and  as  long  as  we  have  no 
college  of  our  own,  where  Judaism  is  a  branch  of 
study,  we  cannot  expect  ministers  and  writers 
for  our  cause.  Here  is  the  old  advice  renewed 
because  we  know  no  better.  If  our  opponents 
want  to  silence  us  let  them  furnish  us  with  the 
means  to  establish  a  college  on  our  plan,  and  we 
shall  molest  them  no  more.  Our  time  and  energy 
shall  be  devoted  to  education  of  worthy  champions 
of  light  and  truth,  disciples  of  science  and  pillars 
of  our  cause." 

In  1863,  Wise  became  convinced  that  a  college 
for  the  education  of  rabbis  could  not  be  established 
until  he  had  succeeded  in  effecting  a  union  of  con- 
gregations to  support  such  an  institution.  During 
the  next  decade  the  editorials  treat  of  the  necessity 
for  such  a  union.     On  August  14,   1863,^  in  an 

'  Vol.  X.,  No.  7. 


270  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

editorial,  "To  the  Israelites  of  the  West,"  he  wrote: 
"In  the  East  reform  is  an  object  per  se,  with  us  it 
is  secondary;  we  want  reforms  in  order  to  endear 
and  preserve  our  religion,  therefore  we  ask  the 
question,  what  benefit  is  this  or  that  reform  to  our 
sacred  cause ;  they  want  reform  per  se,  and  ask  only 
the  question  how  will  this  or  that  reform  be  liked. 
Here  is  a  difference  of  principle  of  which  practical 
results  speak.  The  Eastern  reformers  are  theoreti- 
cal, we  are  practical;  they  are  negative,  we  are 
positive;  they  consider  themselves  wiser  and  more 
learned  and  more  respectable  than  we  are,  that  is, 
the  bulk  of  the  people,  and  keep  aloof;  we  are 
democratic  in  our  religious  feelings.  Nothing  can 
be  more  desirable  than  a  union  of  synagogues. 
/'The  future  greatness  of  Judaism  in  America  de- 
pends upon  the  union  of  congregations.  We  must 
be  united  in  form  of  worship  in  order  to  have  no 
element  of  discord  among  us.  .  .  .  Hitherto 
all  attempts  at  union  were  frustrated  by  the  reform 
leaders  of  the  East.  The  proposition  of  having 
one  college  for  all  of  us  was  defeated  in  the  East. 

"The  attempt  to  establish  a  synod,  the  surer 
safeguard  of  union,  was  killed  in  the  East.  The 
humble  essay  of  one  prayer-book  for  all  was  de- 
nounced, attacked,  condemned,  and  everything 
else,  again  in  the  East.     Therefore,  we  have  come 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      271 

to  the  conclusion  that  it  is  impossible  almost  to 
effect  a  union  with  our  Eastern  contemporaries. 
But  a  union  we  must  have,  based  upon  the  pro- 
gressive principles  of  reform.  We  must  unite  the 
congregations  of  the  Mississippi  valley  in  order 
to  do  the  work  here,  if  we  can  not  do  it  all  over  the 
country.    ...  --"A 

"  We  must  have  a  college  .  .  .  our  strength  lies 
in  union  and  progress.  .  .  .  You  have  established 
congregations  and  support  them  well.  Now  is 
the  time  to  unite  them  for  grand  purposes,"  At 
this  time  he  predicted  that  the  union  of  congrega- 
tions would  be  effected  within  the  next  quarter  of 
a  century. 

In  June,  1865,  Wise  appeared  before  the  New 
York  Board  of  Delegates^  for  the  purpose  of  in- 
ducing that  body  to  take  steps  to  found  a  college, 
but  he  was  unsuccessful.  On  March  2,  1866,^ 
the  Israelite  published  an  article  of  Mr.  A.  Cohen, 
of  Chicago,  in  which  it  was  suggested  that  every 
American  Israelite  over  twenty-one  j^ears  of  age 
should  contribute  one  dollar  annually  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  a  college.     In  the  Israelite 

'  This  was  organized  in  1858  after  the  Mortara  boy  abduction 
occurred,  to  secure  and  maintain  Jewish  civil  and  religious  rights 
at  home  and  abroad.  It  became  a  part  of  the  Union  of  American 
Hebrew  Congregations  in  1878. 

'  Vol.  xii.,  p.  276. 


2^2  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

of  the  following  week  it  was  said,  in  commending 
this  scheme,  that  every  Hebrew  congregation 
should  enact  and  enforce  two  laws:  (i)  E very- 
member  of  the  congregation  should  pay  annually 
one  dollar  to  a  college  fund ;  (2)  Every  congregation 
should  appoint  a  committee  to  collect  one  dollar 
from  non-members  for  the  same  purpose.  Here  we 
already  see  the  scheme  which  afterwards  became 
a  part  of  the  constitution  of  the  Union.  The 
Independent  Order  of  Bene  B'rith  (Sons  of  the 
Covenant)  were  urged  to  work  for  a  college ;  about 
the  same  time  the  Emanuel  Theological  Associa- 
tion of  New  York  resolved  to  establish  "The 
American  Hebrew  College  of  the  City  of  New 
York. "  In  an  editorial,  "  Better  Two  than  One, " 
the  Israelite  of  February  16,  1867,^  said:  "We 
hope  our  brethren  all  over  the  land  will  take  this 
matter  into  serious  consideration ....  Words 
are  not  wanted;  deeds  are  required.  Let  none 
forget  deeds  are  required.  Let  the  Bene  B'rith 
lodges  work  on  with  renewed  energy  and  carry 
out  their  laudable  enterprise,  .  .  .  Let  the 
New  York  Association  do  the  same  and  succeed 
equally  as  well.  Both  intend  to  do  good.  May 
God  bless  them  both.  Both  work  to  the  same  end 
and  if  both  succeed,  they  may  finally  merge  into 

'  Vol.  xiii.,  No.  32. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      273 

one,  or  if  the  worst  should  come  to  pass,  we  will 
have  two  colleges.     Better  two  than  one. " 

On  March  5,  1869,'  in  an  editorial,  "Our 
American  Israel,"  the  editor  writes:  "For  a  long, 
probably  too  long  a  time,  we  have  observed  a 
silence  on  all  practical  questions  concerning  the 
American  Israel.  But  we  feel  it  our  solemn  duty 
to  speak  once  more.  .  .  .  You  must  act  and 
speak  and  demonstrate  that  you  are,  what  you  are, 
and  where  you  are.  You  must  meet  in  annual 
conference  if  you  have  nothing  else  to  discuss  to 
speak  out  annually  in  clear  terms  that  you  have 
a  standpoint  and  are  ready  to  defend  it.  .  .  . 
Numerous  indeed  are  the  topics  which  require 
public  discussion  and  united  action.  In  twenty 
years  or  less,  four-fifths  of  the  American  Israelites 
will  not  understand  much  more  German  than 
French ;  but  they  will  have  to  import  preachers  and 
teachers  from  Europe  as  they  do  now,  because 
no  American  Israelites  study  theology.  Why  do 
they  not?  Why  have  hitherto  all  attempts  failed 
to  build  up  a  seminary  and  provide  it  with  stu- 
dents? Is  it  the  money,  the  managers,  or  the 
students  that  are  scarce?  We  must  know  where 
the  fault  lies  and  we  must  remove  the  obstacles. 
If  we  do  not,  the  American  Temple  will,  in  twenty 

'■  Israelite,  vol.  xv.,  No.  35. 


274  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

years,  be  an  outlandish  institution  to  which  pass- 
ing men  and  women  will  say  '  Here  my  father  and 
mother  used  to  worship .    .    .    . ' 

"We  must  have  American  preachers  and 
teachers,  cost  what  it  may.  We  must  have  them 
as  early  as  possible,  if  we  have  soul  enough  to  love 
and  heart  enough  to  support  our  cause.  We 
want  concert  of  action  and  a  union  of  many,  many 
purses,  and  the  balance  will  come  itself." 

During  all  these  years  not  a  word  of  encourage- 
ment came  out  of  the  East.  In  June,  1869,  the 
Revs.  Drs.  S.  Adler  and  David  Einhorn,  of  New 
York,  called  a  meeting  of  rabbis  of  the  progressive 
school  to  discuss  the  principles  of  a  new  form  of 
public  worship  and  other  religious  questions, 
especially  the  laws  of  marriage  and  divorce. 

Wise  did  not  consider  this  call  an  opposition 
move  to  the  conference  which  was  being  advocated 
almost  weekly  by  him.  Nevertheless,  he  went  to 
the  meeting  in  Philadelphia  in  November,  1869, 
for  the  sole  purpose  of  proposing  steps  for  his 
cherished  union.  ^  His  proposition  was  rejected. 
Wise  and  Lilienthal,  however,  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  make  suitable  arrangements  for  the 
next  conference,  and  to  issue  a  call  for  ministers 
only  who  favoured  reform. 

'  Israelite,  vol.  xxx.,  No.  34. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      275 

Before  the  meeting  of  the^next  conference,  which 
was  held  in  Cincinnati,  Rabbis  Wise,  Lilienthal, 
Kleeberg,  and  Mayer,  who  had  been  at  work  revis- 
ing the  Minhag  America,  called  a  meeting  of  all 
interested  in  that  work,  to  be  held  at  Cleveland 
in  July,  1870,  and  after  adopting  certain  important 
changes  in  the  ritual  the  conference  adjourned  to 
meet  the  following  October  in  New  York.  Noth- 
ing was  accomplished  at  the  New  York  meeting, 
and  all  attempts  to  conciliate  the  New  York 
rabbis,  especially  Einhorn,  failed. 

Nearly  all  of  the  members  of  the  Philadelphia 
conference  were  greatly  incensed  at  Wise  because 
of  his  action  in  reference  to  the  Minhag  America  at 
the  Cleveland  and  New  York  meetings,  and  pub- 
lished protests  against  him,  declaring  over  their 
signatures  that  they  would  have  nothing  further 
to  do  with  him.  The  Jewish  Times,  of  New  York, 
was  especially  abusive.  The  attitude  of  the 
Eastern  rabbis  and  the  billingsgate  of  the  Eastern 
Jewish  press  did  not  deter  Wise  from  pursuing 
his  campaign  for  a  union  and  a  college. 

In  February,  1870,^  under  the  title,  "Education 
for  the  Pulpit,"  the  Israelite  used  these  prophetic 
words:  "If  we  want  a  seminary  we  must  have  the  "^ 
convention   to   establish   and   support   it.    .    .    . 

'  Israelite,  vol.  xvi.,  No.  34. 


2^^  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

As  long  as  the  congregations  do  not  meet  in  con- 
vention and  adopt  measures  and  have  them 
carried  out  by  their  executive  committees,  the 
community  at  large  will  take  no  interest  in  the 
matter." 

During  the  latter  part  of  1870,  the  Israelite's 
editorials  became  stronger  and  stronger,  and  the 
editor  seemed  to  appreciate  the  fact  that  no  argu- 
ment could  be  too  extreme.  On  October  24, 
1870,^  the  Israelite  printed  an  editorial,  "Sell  Out 
or  Work  " :  "  Let  us  give  up  these  synagogues  and 
temples.  Let  us  sell  them  and  either  divide  the 
proceeds  or  donate  them  to  some  charitable  pur- 
pose. What!  Sell  our  magnificent  synagogues? 
Dispose  of  our  gorgeous  temples?  Yes,  you  had 
better  sell  them.  In  twenty  years,  if  you  go  on  as 
you  do  now,  there  will  be  no  use  for  them.  A 
synagogue  without  a  preacher,  without  a  good 
and  eloquent  preacher,  is  of  very  little  use.  In 
twenty  years  an  American  Jew  will  speak  English 
only  as  a  rule.  We  will  have  no  English  preachers. 
England  educates  none.  America  educates  none. 
No  preachers  will  be  equivalent  to  no  synagogues 
and  no  temples.  In  twenty  years  you  will  need 
none.  You  had  better  sell  them  at  your  first 
best  chance.     Therefore,  sell  out  in  time  or  go  to 

'  Vol.  xvii.,  No.  16. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      277 

work  to  educate  eloquent  ministers  for  the  Ameri- 
can Jewish  pulpit. " 

On  December  9,  1870,^  the  Israelite  announced 
that  Mr.  Henry  Adler,  of  Lawrenceburg,  Indiana, 
had  consented  to  give  $10,000  to  Cincinnati  Con- 
gregation Bene  Yeshurun  (Dr.  Wise)  for  the  estab- 
Hshment  of  a  college,  thereby  "rendering  his  name 
immortal  in  the  history  of  American  Judaism. " 

In  April,  1871,  Wise,  Lilienthal,  and  Cohen 
issued  a  call  for  a  conference.  At  the  conference, 
of  which  Rev.  Dr.  Huebsch,  of  New  York,  presided, 
nineteen  rabbis  were  present,  representing  con- 
gregations from  the  states  of  Ohio,  Pennsylvania, 
Virginia,  New  York,  Kentucky,  Missouri,  Louis- 
iana, Illinois,  Kansas,  and  Wisconsin.  This  con- 
ference adopted  resolutions  proposed  by  Wise 
calling  upon  the  congregation  to  form  a  Hebrew 
Congregational  Union,  "with  the  purpose  to  ad- 
vance the  union  of  Israel,  to  establish  a  scholas- 
tic institution  and  a  library  appertaining  thereto 
for  the  education  of  rabbis,  preachers,  and  teachers 
of  religion,  to  provide  a  cheap  edition  of  English 
Bibles.  .  .  .  And  provided  that  a  meeting 
should  be  held  whenever  twenty  congregations 
representing  two  thousand  members  appointed 
delegates. "    Unfortunately,  one  irresponsible  mem- 

I  Vol.  xvii.,  No.  24. 


278  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

ber  of  the  conference,  Dr.  Mayer,  of  Cleveland, 
during  a  debate  stated  that  as  far  as  he  was  con- 
cerned he  did  not  believe  in  a  Personal  God.  All 
the  members  of  the  conference  were  fully  aware 
of  Mayer's  radicalism  and  irresponsibility,  and 
paid  no  attention  to  his  remarks,  and  the  press 
accounts  of  the  following  day  took  no  notice  of  the 
incident.  However,  in  the  papers  of  the  second 
day  following  there  appeared  an  account  under  the 
sensational  heading,  "Rabbis  do  not  beheve  in  a 
Personal  God." 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  conference  the 
Eastern  rabbis,  particularly  Einhom  and  Adler, 
of  New  York,  and  Plirsch,  of  Philadelphia,  seized 
upon  this  "Personal  God"  incident  to  decry  the 
work  of  the  conference,  especially  the  effort  for 
union  and  the  establishment  of  a  college.  A 
protest  signed  by  nearly  all  the  Eastern  rabbis 
appeared  in  the  Jewish  Times,  of  New  York,  in  the 
issue  of  June  30,  1871,'  and  this  protest  and  the 
abuse  of  Wise,  who  was  as  innocent  as  Blaine  was 
at  the  time  of  the  Burchard  "Rum,  Romanism, 
and  Rebellion"  speech  in  1884,  again  alienated  the 
support  of  the  Eastern  congregations  and  widened 
the  breach  between  the  forces  of  the  Eastern  and 
Western  Judaism. 

^  Vol.  iii.,  No.  18. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      279 

This  fresh  attack  in  the  East  had  one  decided 
effect  upon  Wise  and  the  friends  of  union.  They 
realized  that  henceforth  nothing  could  be  expected 
from  the  East.  "This  (attack)  forced  me  to  the 
conclusion,"  writes  Wise,  "that  the  rabbis  will 
never  build  a  union,  they  will  never  build  up  a 
college,  they  will  never  be  able  to  construct  an 
American  Judaism .    ,    .    ." 

Not  at  all  discouraged  by  this  new  rebuff,  Wise 
kept  up  his  campaign  for  a  union  of  congregations. 
On  September  23,  1871,  Wise's  congregation,  Bene 
Yeshurun,  decided  to  send  delegates  to  such  a 
convention  whenever  twenty  congregations  with  a 
total  of  two  thousand  members  should  appoint 
delegates.  A  few  congregations  joined  in  this 
movement,  but  the  time  was  not  yet  ripe  for  the 
realization  of  his  hope.  Wise  continued  to  ad- 
vocate union,  to  urge  men  and  congregations 
everywhere  to  work.  In  October,  1872,  congre- 
gation Bene  Yeshurun,  of  Cincinnati,  acting  upon 
suggestion  of  its  president,  M.  Loth,  adopted  a 
resolution  requesting  sister  congregations  of  Cin- 
cinnati to  appoint  a  committee  to  consider  the 
calling  of  a  general  conference  of  all  congregations 
of  the  West,  South,  and  South-west,  for  the  purpose 
of  forming  a  union  of  congregations  to  establish  a 
Jewish  Theological  Faculty.     On  March  30,  1873, 


28o  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

delegates  from  all  the  Cincinnati  congregations 
met  and  organized  by  electing  Julius  Freiberg, 
Chairman,  and  Lipman  Levy,  Secretary. 

Wise  published  in  the /^me/z'/e  of  April  4,  1873,^ 
an  editorial,  "It  is  Coming,"  in  which  he  says: 
"It  is  coming  after  all,  the  college,  seminary, 
theological  faculty,  or  whatever  it  may  be  named, 
and  the  union  of  American  Hebrew  congregations. 
...  A  committee  has  been  appointed  to  pre- 
pare a  call  for  a  general  convention.  .  .  . 
Which  congregation  will  stand  back?  Common 
sense  suggests  none.  Experience,  however, 
teaches  that  common  sense  does  not  always  pre- 
vail while  private  views  and  notions  are  at  work. 
.  .  .  This  or  that  body  may  stand  back  for  a 
time,  all  reforms  have  met  with  opposition,  but 
none  will  be  able  to  resist  the  united  actions  of 
many  for  any  length  of  time .    .    .    .  " 

On  May  18,  1873,  the  Cincinnati  General  Com- 
mittee, "Resolved  to  issue  a  call  to  all  Congrega- 
tions of  the  West  and  South  for  a  congregational 
convention  to  form  a  'Union  of  Congregations' 
under  whose  auspices  a  'Jewish  Theological 
Institute'  shall  be  established  and  other  measures 
adopted,  which  will  advance  the  prosperity  of  our 
religion. " 

'  Vol.  XX.,  No.  14. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews     281 

The  Israelite  from  May  to  July,  1873,  devotes 
its  editorials  to  the  discussion  of  plans  to  be  laid 
before  the  convention. 

On  June  20,  1873/  under  the  title  "The  Main 
Question,"  Wise  reviews  the  history  of  Judaism  in 
America,  pointing  out  that  in  1846  there  were  only 
four  congregations  of  reform  tendencies  in  America, 
viz.,  one  each  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  Baltimore, 
New  York,  and  Albany.  "To  intelHgent  men," 
he  wrote,  "it  appeared  clearly  impossible  to  build 
up  Judaism  in  America  .  .  ,  without  passing 
through  a  thorough  refining  process  of  reform. 
Here  the  main  trouble  began.  .  .  .  None  of 
the  parties  thought  it  possible  to  yield.  .  .  . 
The  reformers  maintained  Judaism  could  not  exist 
here  without  going  through  a  renovating  reform, 
and  the  orthodox  maintained  reform  Judaism  is 
none  at  all.  You  must  be  orthodox  or  nothing. 
So  the  struggle  began  and  was  continued  with 
considerable  feeling  on  both  sides .  .  .  .  Reform 
and  orthodox  congregations  would  not  and  could 
not  co-operate.  In  the  course  of  time  the  cause 
of  reform  was  triumphant,  and  especially  in  the 
West,  North,  and  South,  where  the  young  and  rising 
communities  started  out  at  once  on  reform  prin- 
ciples, and  the  older  ones  were  obliged  to  follow 

'  Israelite,  vol.  xx.,  No.  25. 


282  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the  example  set  by  congregation  Bene  Yeshurun,  of 
Cincinnati,  so  that  our  orthodox  congregations  be- 
came few  and  far  apart,  by  no  means  fanatical.  .  .  . 
"Thus,  the  nugatory  effect  of  the  reform  move- 
ment on  the  united  action  by  the  Hebrew  congre- 
gations would  have  been  overcome  long  ago  if  it 
had  not  been  for  our  'great  men.'  History 
teaches  us  that  whenever  an  old  system  is  set 
aside  by  popular  movement  to  bring  about  a  new 
one  a  large  number  of  'great  men'  are  called  into 
existence.  .  .  .  These  'great  men'  frequently 
become  a  great  plague  among  the  community  for 
the  time  being,  because  their  disputes  are  the 
disturbing  element.  .  .  .  Hitherto  American 
Judaism  has  not  been  able  to  get  over  the  effect  of 
'great  men's' disputes  and  quarrels.  .  .  .  How 
shall  we  get  over  them,  is  a  question  which  has 
engaged  our  attention  for  a  long  time,  and  here  is 
the  result  of  our  reflection.  We  have  grown  from 
fifty  to  two  hundred  congregations  in  a  quarter  of 
a  century.  .  .  .  Are  we  or  are  we  not  able  to 
take  care  of  our  affairs  without  the  lead  of  our 
'great  men'?  If  we  are,  let  us  do  it  in  God's 
name.  Let  us  shelve  a  few  dozen  of  'great  men' 
till  our  affairs  are  settled,  and  then  let  them  call 
again.  In  order  to  get  over  them  we  must  do 
a  little  while  without  them. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews     283 

"This  is  the  question  now  before  the  congre- 
gations, Are  we  sufficiently  advanced  to  take  care 
of  our  own  affairs?  Are  we  independent  and  in- 
telligent enough  to  do  it?  .  .  .  If  we  are  minors 
no  longer,  if  the  work  and  combat  of  a  quarter  of 
a  century  have  educated  and  trained  us  up  to  the 
point  of  independence  and  wise  judgment,  then 
in  God's  name  let  us  unite  and  do  our  work  to  the 
best  of  our  ability.  July  8th  this  question  will  be 
decided  for  the  present. 

"Our  confidence  in  the  masses  was  always 
strong  and  invincible.  Therefore,  we  started  at 
the  very  first  conference  in  Cleveland  with  the 
idea  of  a  union  of  congregations  by  chosen  repre- 
sentatives. But  it  was  defeated  in  1856.  We 
reiterated  it  in  the  Philadelphia  conference  (1869) 
and  it  was  defeated  on  the  spot.  Again  we  brought 
it  up  in  the  Cincinnati  conference  (1871)  and  it 
failed  again,  always  by  the  particular  work  of 
our  'great  men.'  Now  the  question  is  before 
the  congregations  in  an  entirely  new  shape. 
It  comes  as  a  proposition  of  sixty  Cincinnat- 
ians  representing  five  congregations.  No  con- 
gregation can  ignore  it  without  loading  upon 
itself  the  blame  of  many  of  its  members.  None 
can  reject  it  without  giving  its  reasons  to  the 
world  why  this  or  that  body  refuses  to  co-oper- 


284  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

ate  with  its  sister  congregations  in  the  great 
work  of  union.    .    .    . 

"Now  the  question  will  be  decided,  Are  we  ripe 
for  the  great  work,  or  are  we  to  remain  minors  a 
little  while  longer  until  we  can  pick  up  courage 
enough  to  go  and  do  that  which  should  be  done, 
that  which  it  is  our  duty  before  God  and  man? 
Our  confidence  is  unshaken.  We  hope.  We  wait 
impatiently,  because  we  know  on  the  eighth  of  July 
Judaism  can  open  a  new  era  of  its  history  in 
America,  or  declare  its  incompetency,  to  be 
dragged  along  many  a  year  to  come. " 

On  July  8,  1873,  there  met  at  Cincinnati  in 
convention  delegates  from  thirty-four  congrega- 
tions, who  organized  The  Union  of  American 
Hebrew  Congregations,  the  main  purpose  of  which 
was  "to  establish  a  Hebrew  Theological  College  to 
preserve  Judaism  intact,  to  bequeath  it  in  its 
purity  and  sublimity  to  posterity,  to  Israel  united 
and  fraternized,  to  establish,  sustain,  and  govern 
a  seat  of  learning,  for  Israel's  religion  and 
learning." 

While  Wise  was  working  in  season  and  out  of 
season  to  bring  about  union,  the  Eastern  Jewish 
press  was  accusing  him  of  disunion,  and  when, 
despite  the  opposition  of  the  East  and  its  aloof- 
ness, the  union  was  formed,  the  Jewish  Times,  on 


Union  of  American  Hebrews     285 

July  25, 1873,*  said:  "  The  whole  movement  which, 
we  are  sorry  to  say,  is  on  a  level  with  all  the  plans 
and  schemes  which  were  set  on  foot  by  Dr.  Wise. 
They  can  not  rise  above  .  .  .  the  commonplace. 
And  this  last  product  of  his  feeble  brain  will  fare 
no  better;  it  will  also  end  in  dust  and  smoke.  .  .  . 

"And  it  matters  but  little  to  him  (Wise)  what 
the  result  of  these  fanfaronades  are;  they  help  to 
spread  his  name  and  fame;  for  all  we  know,  if 
he  lives  long  enough,  he  will,  with  such  undaunted 
energy  as  he  possesses,  yet  succeed  in  being  made 
the  Jewish  Archbishop  of  American  Israel .... 
But  how  does  the  thing  stand  in  reaHty?  What 
is  accomplished?  A  sectional  division  is  created 
which  will  retard  the  work  of  genuine  union  for 
years  to  come.  .  .  .  None  of  the  representatives 
are  so  unsophisticated  as  to  believe  that  Eastern 
congregations  will  consent  to  join  them  in  some- 
thing in  which  they  had  no  voice,  where  their 
advice  and  co-operation  had  been  rejected  by  a 
distant  statement  that  only  Southern  and  Western 
congregations  were  asked  to  attend. 

"Everyone  not  blinded  by  prejudice  or  partisan- 
ship must  know  that  the  largest  number  of 
Israelites  are  found  in  the  East  and  North,  that 
the  most  prominent  scientific  minds  are  ministers 

'  Vol.  v.,  No.  22. 


286  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

of  Jewish  congregations  in  the  East;  that  the 
greatest  wealth  exists  there,  and  that  a  'union* 
of  American  congregations  of  which  the  congrega- 
tions of  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  and 
other  cities,  are  left  out,  is  a  nonentity,  and  that 
such  a  gigantic  enterprise  as  the  estabHshment  of 
a  Jewish  high  school  can,  if  at  all,  be  supported 
only  by  united  shoulders  of  all  congregations.  .  .  . 

"Let  us  take  the  most  favourable  average  of 
one  hundred  members  each  (to  each  congregation 
that  joined)  and  we  have  three  thousand  individual 
members  of  the  union.  They  are  to  pay  one 
dollar  a  year  per  member,  and  we  have  the  mag- 
nificent sum  of  three  thousand  dollars  with  which 
this  Wise  College  is  to  be  maintained. 

"What  a  farce.  Is  it  not  bringing  ridicule  upon 
the  effort  and  upon  Judaism  by  thus  exposing 
ourselves  to  the  eyes  of  the  world?  .  .  .  Why, 
it  ($3000  per  annum)  would  not  suffice  to  pay  the 
salary  of  a  single  professor." 

Prophecies  such  as  these  are  dangerous.  Today 
the  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Congregations 
consists  of  191  congregations,  having  a  combined 
membership  of  21,706.  The  Hebrew  Union  Col- 
lege was  established  by  this  union,  and  of  153 
living  graduates^  there  are  twenty-five  occupying 

'  This  does  not  include  the  1916  class  of  twelve. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews     287 

the  leading  pulpits  of  New  York,  Philadelphia, 
Boston,  Baltimore,  Albany,  Rochester,  Brooklyn, 
New  Haven,  and  other  Eastern  cities.  The  pulpits 
of  Einhorn,  Adler,  Hirsch,  Morals,  Jastrow,  and 
other  rabbis  who  opposed  Wise,  and  tried  to 
prevent  the  organization  of  the  union  and  the 
founding  of  the  college,  are  filled  by  graduates  of 
"Wise's  College."  Wise  not  only  wrote  for  the 
union,  but  he  travelled  throughout  the  land  and 
spoke  for  the  union.  In  his  article  on,  "Plan 
for  American  Hebrew  College,"  printed  in  the 
Asmonean  of  August  19,  1853,  he  wrote:  "We 
would  even  undertake  to  travel  and  see  the 
principal  congregations  of  the  country  on  that 
subject  if  the  desirable  end  could  be  reached." 

During  the  years  1855  to  1873  Wise  had  visited 
nearly  all  the  large  cities  of  the  country  between 
the  Missouri  and  the  Atlantic  coast,  and  had  lec- 
tured and  preached  frequently  to  large  audiences. 
He  likewise  visited  the  growing  communities  of 
the  West,  South,  and  North-west,  where  he  laid 
corner-stones  for  new  synagogues,  dedicated  com- 
pleted ones,  and  instituted  Bene  B'rith  lodges. 
During  that  period  no  rabbi  in  this  country  was 
better  known  and  none  exerted  more  influence. 
His  name  then  was  already  a  household  word  in 
American  Israel.     In  1855  he  visited  Louisville, 


288  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Cleveland,  Wheeling,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia, 
New  York,  and  Albany;  in  1856,  Indianapolis, 
Terre  Haute,  Vincennes,  St.  Louis,  Quincy, 
Keokuk,  Davenport,  Rock  Island,  Ottawa,  La 
Salle,  Peoria,  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  and  Detroit 
in  the  West,  and  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and 
Boston  in  the  East.  In  1857  and  1858,  Cleveland, 
Washington,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  New  York, 
and  Albany.  In  1859  Wise  made  a  second  trip 
West,  visiting  IndianapoHs,  Lafayette,  Fort 
Wayne,  Chicago,  and  Milwaukee.  In  i860  he 
visited  Piqua,  Columbus,  Cleveland,  Buffalo, 
Rochester,  Syracuse,  Albany,  New  York,  Philadel- 
phia, and  Baltimore.  Speaking  of  this  i860  trip  he 
writes  in  the  Israelite  of  August  31,  i860':  "We 
have  seen  over  ten  thousand  people  in  the  different 
synagogues  and  halls,  and  made  the  acquaintance 
of  thousands  we  had  not  the  pleasure  of  knowing 
before.  ...  It  is  the  principle  expounded  and 
defended  that  attracts  the  multitudes;  it  is  the 
system  that  we  expound  that  has  so  many  friends, 
and  even  admirers.  ..."  In  1863,  Washing- 
ton; in  1864,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  New  York, 
Chicago,  and  Detroit;  1865,  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut; 1867,  Cleveland,  Buffalo,  Rochester,  Albany, 
New  York  and  Newark,  Detroit,  Lafayette.  In 
'  Vol.  vii.,  No.  9. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews     289 

1869,  Nashville,  Chattanooga,  Atlanta,  Augusta, 
Charleston,  and  also  Philadelphia  and  New  York. 
It  was  on  this  Southern  trip  that  he  realized  the 
importance  of  the  building  of  the  Cincinnati 
Southern  Railroad  which  was  then  being  agitated. 
The  following  account  of  his  trip,  which  appears 
in  the  Israelite  of  December  3,  1869,^  shows  how 
practical  a  man  he  was:  "Nine  o'clock  Monday 
morning  I  had  just  got  my  trunk.  I  took  the  train 
for  Chattanooga.  The  railroad  reminds  me  of 
the  universal  complaints  of  all  the  merchants  in 
Nashville  and  southward  that  they  can  not  get 
goods  from  north  of  the  Ohio  in  less  than  six 
weeks.  The  same  complaint  all  the  way  down. 
I  was  told  in  Atlanta  and  Augusta,  Ga.,  that 
goods  from  New  York  are  received  three  weeks 
before  they  can  be  gotten  from  Cincinnati.  If 
Cincinnati  can  not  get  direct  connection  with 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  via  Chattanooga,  with  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  via  Knoxville,  and  with  Nashville 
direct,  it  must  gradually  lose  its  trade  in  that 
direction.  With  these  connections,  however,  Nash- 
ville can  be  reached  in  twelve  hours,  Atlanta  in 
twenty  hours,  Charleston  and  Savannah  in  twenty- 
five  hours  to  thirty  hours,  and  the  whole  central 
region  opened  to  the  manufactures  and  commerce 

'  Vol.  xvi.,  No.  22. 

19 


290  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

of  Cincinnati.  This  ought  to  be  done  in  as  short 
a  time  as  possible  if  Cincinnati  manufacturers  and 
merchants  mean  to  profit  by  its  geographical 
position." 

In  1870  he  attended  the  meetings  at  Cleveland 
and  New  York,  and  in  1871  visited  the  East  again, 
delivering  his  lectures  on  the  "Origin  of  Christian- 
ity." In  1872  he  was  at  Easton,  Scranton,  and 
Titusville,  Pennsylvania,  and  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut. 

It  was  during  this  time  that  Drs.  Einhorn  and 
Hirsch  issued  a  protest  against  Wise,  because  he 
held  that  according  to  Jewish  law  a  rabbi  could 
lawfully  perform  the  marriage  ceremony  between 
a  man  and  the  widow  of  his  deceased  brother 
even  where  there  were  living  children.  Not- 
withstanding the  protest  and  the  bitter  attack 
made  on  him,  he  treated  the  matter  lightly.  In 
the  Israelite  of  July  19,  1872,'  he  writes:  "Dr. 
Einhorn  on  that  occasion  was  so  very  charitable 
and  humble  as  to  go  and  see  the  president  of  our 
congregation,  and  in  a  very  trusting  manner  give 
him  to  understand  how  welcome  it  would  be  to  the 
Almighty's  special  policeman  if  that  Wise  could 
be  got  out  of  the  way,  in  a  nice,  lawful,  and  decent 
manner,  of  course.     We  were  quite  surprised  to 

I  Vol.  xix.,  No.  3. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews      291 

leam  that  Dr.  Einhorn  took  such  a  deep  interest 
in  our  welfare.  So  were  some  other  people.  But 
what  good  has  it  done?  .  .  .  Since  that  time 
Wise  has  been  called  to  Easton,  Scranton,  and 
Titusville,  Pennsylvania,  to  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut, right  at  the  door  of  New  York  and  Phila- 
delphia to  speak  to  and  for  our  people,  and  nobody 
thought  of  that  protest  and  that  special  kindness 
of  Dr.  Einhorn.  Nor  did  anybody  think  of  send- 
ing such  a  call  to  any  of  the  protesting  rabbis  or 
their  adjutants.  God  bless  them  all,  innocent 
and  harmless  people.  There  is  no  use  telling 
people  whom  they  should  like  to  hear;  who  should 
enjoy  their  confidence,  or  upon  whom  they  should 
bestow  their  affection.  .  .  .  Still  if  Dr.  Hirsch 
should  insist  upon  having  us  removed  from  office 
and  curtailed  in  our  public  activities,  as  good- 
natured  as  we  otherwise  are,  we  will  be  most  likely 
tempted  by  Satan  to  revenge,  and  our  revenge  will 
be  the  acceptance  of  a  pulpit  in  New  York,  or,  if 
the  Doctor  insists  upon  it,  in  Philadelphia.  .  .  . 
If  our  colleagues  in  the  East  continue  to  overpower 
us  with  their  peculiar  demonstrations  of  piety  and 
kind  affections  we  hardly  will  be  able  to  resist  the 
temptation  to  be  somewhere  near  them  so  that 
they  need  not  send  us  their  compliments  a  thou- 
sand miles  over  land.     If  one  evening  we  should 


292  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

determine  upon  such  a  course  and  the  next  morn- 
ing telegraph  our  intention  to  some  metropoHtan 
friends,  our  benign  colleagues  on  the  seashore  will 
have  a  fine  opportunity  to  try  and  prevent  the 
calamity  of  a  new  chapter  in  the  history  of  Amer- 
ican Judaism  being  opened.    .    .    .  "^ 

In  July,  1873,  Wise,  without  settling  in  the  East, 
after  a  persistent  and  uncompromising  struggle 
of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  succeeded  in 
overcoming  all  the  great  obstacles  that  had  been 
placed  in  his  path  by  the  Eastern  radical  and 
orthodox  rabbis. 

Truly,  and  with  pride,  he  writes  in  the  Israelite 
of  July  18,  1873,^  an  editorial:  "A  new  Chapter  in 
the  History  of  American  Israel, "  in  which  he  said: 
"'For  a  child  was  bom  unto  us  and  the  dominion 
shall  be  upon  his  shoulder. '  On  the  eighth,  ninth, 
and  tenth  days  of  July,  1873,  in  the  convention 
held  in  Cincinnati,  the  youngest  child  of  Israel  was 
born,  the  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Congrega- 
tions was  organized,  constituted,  and  established. 
.  .  .  The  child  was  born  in  peace,  brotherly 
love,  and  beautiful  harmony.  .  .  .  The  new 
chapter  in  our  history  begins  with  peace  and  sends 
forth  the  ancient  salutation  Shalom  Alechem, 
'peace  to  all  of  you.'   .    .    . 

'  See  supra,  p.  174.  »  Vol.  xxi..  No.  3. 


Union  of  American  Hebrews     293 

"The  first  object  of  this  union  is  the  Hebrew 
College.  It  proposes  first  of  all  things  to  estab- 
lish a  seat  of  learning  for  Hebrew  literature .... 
but  the  first  thing  must  come  first." 


CHAPTER   XIII 

THE  HEBREW  UNION   COLLEGE 

The  first  council  of  the  Union  of  American 
Hebrew  Congregations  met  at  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
in  July,  1874.  At  this  council  fifty -five  congrega- 
tions were  represented  by  delegates,  and  by  a 
unanimous  vote  it  was  decided  to  establish  a  theo- 
logical college  to  be  known  as  the  Hebrew  Union 
College.  By  common  consent  the  college  was 
located  at  Cincinnati,  and  Isaac  Mayer  Wise  was 
chosen  its  first  president.  Wise  had  always  been 
of  the  opinion  that  a  theological  seminary  must  be 
located  in  a  city  where  there  existed  a  secular 
college  or  university  so  that  the  rabbinical  students 
could  attend  both  institutions  simultaneously. 
In  1859  Andrew  McMicken  died  in  Cincinnati,  and 
by  his  will  devised  to  the  City  of  Cincinnati  his 
large  estate  to  establish  a  college  for  white  boys 
and  girls.  Owing  to  this  munificent  gift,  Wise 
believed  he  could  open  his  college  in  the  beginning 

of  the  decade  of  i860;  the  Civil  War,  and  the 

294 


The  Hebrew  Union  College      295 

litigation  over  the  McMicken  bequest,  however, 
prevented  this.  After  the  close  of  the  war  the 
campaign  for  union  described  in  the  last  chapter 
began  in  earnest,  and  in  1873,  when  the  University 
of  Cincinnati,  of  which  the  academic  department 
was  McMicken  College,  was  opened,  it  was  self- 
evident  that  any  theological  school  that  the  Union 
of  American  Hebrew  Congregations  should  estab- 
lish would  be  located  in  Cincinnati. 

At  the  Cleveland  council  of  the  Union,  a  Board 
of  Governors  was  elected  in  whose  charge  the 
college  was  placed.  The  Board  of  Governors  met 
soon  thereafter  and  elected  Wise  the  first  president 
of  the  college.  Speaking  of  his  election,  Wise 
wrote  in  the  American  Israelite  of  September  3, 
1875  ^ :  "We  deem  it  our  duty  to  speak  a  few  words 
for  the  president-elect,  and  may  say  that  he  con- 
siders it  the  highest  honour  which  could  have  been 
conferred  upon  him.  Neither  a  seat  in  the  Senate 
of  the  United  States,  nor  the  office  of  Chief  Justice 
appears  to  him  as  responsible  and  honourable  a 
position  as  the  presidency  of  the  Hebrew  Union 
College,  where  the  finest  opportunity  is  offered  to 
contribute  largely  to  the  education  of  the  young 
people  of  our  country ;  to  lay  a  solid  foundation  to 
the  future  greatness  of  American  Judaism,  and 

'  Vol.  XXV.,  No.  9. 


296  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

to  promulgate  Hebrew  learning,  to  raise  high  the 
moral  and  intellectual  standard  of  Judaism.  .  .  . 
An  arduous  task  has  been  imposed  on  him  with 
this  honour.  It  is  no  small  enterprise  to  organize 
and  build  up  a  seat  of  learning  for  the  education 
of  the  rising  and  the  coming  generations.  This 
will  take  more  work  than  is  commonly  supposed, 
and  can  be  successfully  accomplished  only  by  the 
earnest  and  unanimous  support  of  the  Board  of 
Governors,  faculty,  and  the  executive  committee 
of  the  union,  the  confidence  and  hearty  support  of 
our  co-religionists  in  general,  upon  whom  he  relies, 
to  all  of  whom  he  sends  fraternal  greetings  with  the 
solemn  promise  always  to  do  his  duty  fully  to  the 
best  of  his  knowledge  and  ability.  It  will  be 
the  object  of  his  life  and  happiness  to  afford  the  op- 
portunity to  the  young  Israelites  of  our  country  to 
acquire  an  academical  and  enlightened  education, 
to  take  out  into  practical  life  the  wisdom  and 
truth  amassed  in  the  treasures  of  Israel's  rich 
literature. " 

He  fully  realized  the  magnitude  of  the  task 
before  him.  The  union  was  small  and  young,  the 
Eastern  congregations,  which  were  composed  of 
the  wealthiest  Jews  in  the  country,  were  opposed 
to  it  and  to  him.  In  the  same  article  just  quoted 
from,  he  writes:  "Isaac  M.  Wise  has  many  and 


The  Hebrew  Union  College      297 

fierce  opponents.  He  has  projected  and  worked 
too  much  not  to  have  them.  No  public  spirited 
man  can  ever  escape  them.  But  he  has  many- 
more  ardent  and  faithful  friends,  whose  confidence 
he  fully  possesses  and  who  are  always  ready  to 
support  him  heartily.  His  opponents  who  were 
also  opponents  of  the  Union  of  American  Hebrew 
Congregations  will,  of  course,  decry  his  election. 

"In  his  official  capacity  he  recognizes  no  oppo- 
nents, no  enemies,  he  will  work  for  the  benefit  of 
all,  and  however  humble  an  individual  he  may  be, 
he  will  always  be  guided  by  the  principle,  'The 
disciples  of  the  sages  augment  the  peace  of  the 
world.'  He  will  have  no  isms  and  no  schisms  to 
impose,  no  sophistries  to  defend,  no  superstitions 
to  advocate,  no  prejudices  to  foster;  exactly  in 
obedience  to  the  outspoken  will  of  the  council 
and  the  union  will  he  earnestly  and  steadily 
endeavour  with  the  aid  of  a  competent  and  dis- 
tinguished faculty  to  open  the  treasures  of  Israel's 
literature  to  Jew  and  Gentile,  reformer  and  ortho- 
dox in  justice  to  all  and  in  offence  to  none .... 
The  indigent  student  will  always  find  him  ready  to 
help.  It  will  be  his  pride  to  be  a  parental  friend 
to  the  intelligent  youth  of  our  country  whose 
confidence  he  flatters  himself  to  possess,  and  claims 
but  one  reward,  success." 


298  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

The  first  faculty  consisted  of  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 
and  Solomon  Eppinger,  and  in  1876,  Rev.  Dr.  Max 
Lilienthal,  who  had  been  the  zealous  supporter  of 
Wise  in  his  fight  for  the  union  and  the  college, 
joined  the  teaching  staff.  Of  these  three,  Solomon 
Eppinger  was  the  only  one  to  receive  any  com- 
pensation, and  that  was  small.  The  college  was 
to  consist  of  three  departments,  preparatory,  He- 
brew classical  or  collegiate,  and  rabbinical  or 
graduate.  The  preparatory  was  open  to  students 
or  graduates  of  high  schools  or  colleges;  the  col- 
legiate to  graduates  of  the  preparatory  depart- 
ment and  the  students  of  any  college  or  university, 
and  the  rabbinical  department  to  graduates  of  the 
collegiate  department. 

The  college  was  open  not  only  to  Israelites,  but 
also  to  students  of  all  denominations,  and  tuition 
was  gratuitous.  No  one  was  to  receive  the  title 
of  rabbi  who  had  not  been  graduated  from  a 
secular  college  or  university  of  equal  standing  with 
the  University  of  Cincinnati.  The  formal  opening 
of  the  Hebrew  Union  College  took  place  October 
3,  1875,  at  the  Plum  Street  Temple  (Dr.  Wise's 
temple).  Addresses  were  made  by  the  President 
of  the  Board  of  Governors,  Bernhard  Bettmann, 
the  Rev.  Drs.  Sonnenschein,  of  St.  Louis,  and 
Lilienthal,  of  Cincinnati.     When  Wise  was  called 


The  Hebrew  Union  Colleo^e      299 


on  to  address  the  audience,  he  said':  "Little 
remains  to  be  said  after  all  the  eloquent  addresses, 
unless  he  should  speak  of  the  gladness  and  delight 
that  he  felt  that  at  last,  after  twenty-five  years  of 
toil  and  struggle,  this  great  project  of  a  Hebrew 
College  is  being  realized,  but  he  feels  incapable  to 
do  this  well,  he  lacked  words  to  do  justice  to  his 
feelings. " 

The  next  day  the  first  class  of  the  college  was 
opened  in  the  vestry  rooms  of  the  Mound  Street 
Temple,  Eighth  and  Mound  streets,  with  seventeen 
pupils.  Of  these,  four  completed  their  course  in 
1883,  Israel  Aaron,  rabbi  at  Fort  Wayne  and 
Buffalo,  now  deceased;  Henry  Berkowitz,  rabbi 
at  Mobile,  Ala.,  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  now  rabbi 
of  Rodef  Shalom  Congregation,  Philadelphia; 
Joseph  Krauskopf,  rabbi  at  Kansas  City,  now 
of  Keneseth  Israel,  Philadelphia,  and  David 
Philipson,  rabbi  at  Baltimore,  and  now  Lilien- 
thal's  successor  in  Cincinnati. 

In  1876  the  second  class  entered,  and  among  its 
members  who  graduated  in  1884  were  Louis  Gross- 
mann,  now  Dr.  Wise's  successor  at  the  Plum 
Street  Temple ;  Rabbis  Max  Heller,  of  New  Orleans, 
Joseph  Stolz,  of  Chicago,  and  Joseph  Silverman, 
of  Temple  Emanuel,  New  York  City.     So  each 

'  Israelite,  Oct.  3,  1875,  vol.  xxv.,  No.  14. 


300  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

succeeding  year  during  the  ensuing  twenty-five 
years  of  Wise's  life  new  students  entered  the 
college. 

The  rabbinical  course  required  eight  years,  four 
preparatory  and  four  collegiate.  In  1877  the 
growing  college  was  removed  from  the  Mound 
Street  Temple  to  the  larger  vestry  rooms  of  the 
Plum  Street  Temple.  On  April  24,  1881,  a  large 
double  stone-front  house  on  West  Sixth  Street  was 
purchased  and  dedicated  as  a  college  building. 
At  this  dedication  Wise  said:  "This  is  the  first 
time  in  the  history  of  our  country  that  any  house 
has  been  dedicated  as  this  to  higher  Jewish  learn- 
ing in  the  double  sense  of  the  term  by  communica- 
tion from  teacher  to  students." 

The  college  remained  in  this  building  until  thir- 
teen years  after  Wise's  death,  when,  through  the 
munificence  of  Jacob  H.  Schiff,  of  New  York, 
Isaac  W.  Bernheim,  of  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
Julius  Rosenwald,  of  Chicago,  and  many  others, 
the  present  stately  college  building  and  library, 
located  on  an  eighteen-acre  tract  on  Clifton  Avenue 
overlooking  the  western  part  of  Cincinnati,  were 
dedicated  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  The  dedi- 
catory address  was  delivered  by  Rabbi  Jonah  B. 
Wise,  of  Portland,  Oregon,  the  son  of  the  founder. 

The  faculty  was  increased  from  time  to  time. 


The  Hebrew  Union  College      301 

In  1879,  Rabbi  Moses  Mielziner,  the  great  Tal- 
mudist,  joined  the  faculty,  and  soon  gained  the  love 
and  esteem  of  all  the  students  by  his  gentle  ways 
and  his  great  learning.  After  Wise's  death  he 
was  acting  president  for  a  short  time.  Wise  and 
Mielziner  gave  the  college  the  scholastic  reputation 
it  enjoyed  in  its  early  history. 

Not  only  was  a  college  to  be  established  but  also 
a  library.  The  beginnings  of  the  present  library 
were  small.  In  1876  there  were  247  volumes, 
mostly  prayer-books.  Every  Israelite  in  the 
country  thought  he  was  conferring  a  favour  on  the 
college  by  sending  a  discarded  and  worn  prayer- 
book.  Year  by  year,  however,  the  library  in- 
creased in  size  and  importance,  and  today  the 
Hebrew  Union  College  Library  occupies  a  separate 
building,  known  as  the  Isaac  W.  Bernheim  library 
building,  and  contains  thirty-five  thousand  vol- 
umes and  nine  thousand  pamphlets.  It  possesses 
one  of  the  best  and  most  valuable  collections  of 
Hebraica  in  the  country.  Wise  insisted  constantly 
upon  the  upbuilding  of  the  library  and  was  a 
generous  donor  of  many  valuable  and  rare  books. 
The  faculty,  which,  in  1875,  was  composed  of  two 
professors,  had  nine  at  the  death  of  Wise. 

In  the  preparation  of  a  curriculum,  Wise  con- 
sulted with  prominent  rabbis,   but  reserved  the 


302  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

right  to  adopt  such  curriculum  as  he  thought 
best.  Dr.  S.  Wolfenstein,  who  for  many  years 
was  the  superintendent  of  the  Jewish  Orphan 
Asylum,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  recently  wrote:  "At 
the  second  council  of  the  Union  of  American 
Hebrew  Congregations,  held  in  July,  1874,  ^^ 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  Drs.  Lilienthal  and  Wise  and 
myself  were  appointed  as  a  committee  to  prepare 
a  curriculum  of  studies  for  the  new  rabbinical 
college.  We  met  a  consecutive  number  of  Sundays 
at  Cincinnati.  .  .  .  Our  meetings  were  very 
animated  as  a  rule.  Lilienthal  and  myself  agree- 
ing and  Wise  opposing  us.  .  .  .  It  was  on  one 
of  these  occasions  when  Lilienthal,  lighting  a  fresh 
cigar,  broke  out  in  a  laugh,  in  which  he  liked  to  in- 
dulge so  heartily,  and  turning  to  me  he  exclaimed : 
'Wolfenstein,  you  are  a  fool  and  I  am  another. 
We  quarrel  with  Wise  and,  nevertheless,  he  will 
do  as  he  pleases.'  He  certainly  was  right.  When  I 
attended  the  college  examinations  in  May  or  June, 
1878,  Rabbis  Morals  and  Zirndorf  were  my  col- 
leagues. I  did  not  find  much  of  the  program  that 
we  had  prepared  carried  out.  Wise  had  cut  down 
the  scientific  and  theoretic  subjects,  laying  stress 
upon  matters  touching  and  pertaining  to  practical 
life.     Most  probably  he  was  right. "  ^ 

'  Cleveland  Jewish  Review  and  Observer,  Nov.  26,  1915. 


The  Hebrew  Union  College      303 

No  school  can  exist  without  students,  and 
the  first  need  of  the  new  rabbinical  college  was 
students.  As  most  of  the  applicants  were  unable 
to  defray  the  expenses  necessary  for  their  support 
at  Cincinnati,  the  college  contributed  liberally 
to  their  support.  Thus  the  question  of  finance 
became  at  once  a  pressing  one.  Wise  continued 
his  campaign  for  the  college  and  the  union,  and 
during  the  quarter  of  a  century  following  the 
opening  of  the  college  he  constantly  dwelt  upon 
the  necessity  of  donations  and  bequests.  Year 
by  year  the  union  increased  very  slowl}'-.  Dona- 
tions and  bequests  likewise  increased  yearly,  but 
during  the  lifetime  of  Wise,  neither  the  college  nor 
the  union  had  sufficient  funds  for  adequate  sup- 
port. During  the  first  eight  years  of  the  college's 
existence  Wise  continued  his  travels  in  its  inter- 
est, and  in  the  summer  of  1877  he  made  a  trip  to 
California,  stopping  at  all  the  principal  cities  en 
route.  Later  he  revisited  the  large  cities  of  the 
East  and  Middle  West. 

To  convince  the  Jews  of  America  that  the  work 
of  the  college  was  worthy  of  their  support.  Wise 
decided  to  invite  prominent  rabbis  from  different 
cities  to  act  yearly  as  a  board  of  examiners. 
This  was  a  master-stroke,  and  had  the  immediate 
effect  of  gaining  friends  and  enthusiastic  supporters 


304  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

for  the  college  ever3rtvhere.  These  examiners 
were  both  orthodox  and  reform  rabbis  and  scholars 
of  known  ability.  In  1877  the  examiners  were 
Drs.  Sonnenschein,  of  St.  Louis,  and  Mayer,  of 
Pittsburgh;  in  1878,  Drs.  Morals,  of  Philadelphia, 
Wolfenstein,  of  St.  Louis,  and  Zindorf,  of  Detroit; 
in  1879,  Drs.  Huebsch  of  New  York,  Felsenthal, 
of  Chicago,  and  Hahn,  of  Cleveland;  in  1880, 
Drs.  F.  De  Sola  Mendes,  of  New  York,  Adler,  of 
Chicago,  and  Sonnenschein,  of  St.  Louis;  in  1881, 
Drs.  Samuel  Hirsch,  of  Philadelphia,  Goldammer, 
of  Nashville,  and  Samfield,  of  Memphis;  in  1882, 
Drs.  Moses,  of  Louisville,  Emil  G.  Hirsch,  of 
Chicago,  and  Isaacs,  of  New  York,  and  in  1883, 
the  year  the  first  class  was  graduated,  Drs.  Kohler, 
of  New  York,  Szold,  of  Baltimore,  and  Jacobs, 
of  Philadelphia. 

These  examiners  in  their  reports,  which  are 
printed  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Union  of  Ameri- 
can Hebrew  Congregations,  certify  to  the  pro- 
ficiency of  the  students,  and  praise  the  work  of 
both  students  and  faculty.  Between  1880  and 
1883  the  students  of  the  upper  classes  of  the  college 
officiated  during  the  great  Jewish  holydays  in  con- 
gregations that  were  without  ministers,  and  gave 
satisfaction.  This  custom,  which  still  exists,  made 
the  college  quite  popular  throughout  the  country. 


The  Hebrew  Union  College      305 

No  large  Eastern  congregation  joined  the  union 
until  1878,  when  both  Temple  Emanuel  (Dr. 
Gottheil's  congregation)  of  New  York,  and  Beth 
El  (Dr.  Einhorn's  congregation)  became  members, 
and  both  were  represented  in  the  Milwaukee 
coimcil  of  1878.  At  this  meeting  Mr.  M.  Ellinger, 
the  editor  of  the  New  York  Jewish  Times,  that 
had  so  frequently  and  maliciously  abused  Wise, 
represented  Einhorn's  congregation.  Wise  says: 
"On  the  strength  of  this  fact  (i.  e.,  Beth  El  joining 
the  union)  we  shook  hands  with  the  gentleman 
(Ellinger)  to  bury  the  hatchet  forever.  We  have 
done  one  another  a  great  deal  of  mischief  and 
might  make  up  for  it  by  doing  a  great  deal  of  good 
by  friendly  relations."^ 

In  July,  1883,  ten  years  after  the  organization 
of  the  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Congregations, 
and  eight  years  after  the  opening  of  the  college,  the 
Union  met  in  Cincinnati  to  celebrate  its  decennial, 
and  the  first  ordination  of  rabbis  in  America.  At 
this  time  the  Union  was  composed  of  128  congre- 
gations, and  the  council  of  that  year  was  the 
largest  representative  body  of  Israelites  that  had 
ever  up  to  that  time  assembled  in  America  in 
the  interest  of  Judaism  and  Jewish  culture.  The 
graduation   exercises  were  held   in  Wise's  Plum 

"^  Israelite,  vol.  xxxi.,  No.  3,  July,  1878. 


20 


3o6  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Street  Temple,  and  on  that  July  evening,  in 
1883,  when  Wise  conferred  the  rabbinical  title 
on  Israel  Aaron,  Henry  Berkowitz,  Joseph  Kraus- 
kopf,  and  David  Philipson,  by  impressing  upon 
the  forehead  of  each  his  kiss,  it  seemed  that 
all  opposition  to  the  imion  and  the  college  had 
disappeared. 

But  Wise  was  again  to  meet  with  bitter  dis- 
appointment. The  hospitable  citizens  of  Cin- 
cinnati tendered  the  visiting  delegates  a  large 
banquet  which  was  attended  by  both  orthodox 
and  reform  delegates.  On  this  occasion  certain 
dishes  forbidden  by  the  dietary  laws  observed  by 
the  orthodox  were  served.  This  incident  was 
seized  upon  by  the  uncompromising  opponents 
of  the  union  and  the  college,  and  the  college  and 
its  faculty  were  accused  of  heresy.  Returning  to 
their  respective  homes  the  orthodox  delegates 
immediately  began  a  vigorous  campaign  against 
all  connected  with  the  college  and  in  general 
against  reform  Judaism,  and  many  congregations 
resigned  from  the  union,  and  for  the  time  being 
the  outlook  was  not  promising.  In  1885  Dr. 
Kohler,  of  New  York,  invited  all  reform  rabbis  to 
meet  in  conference  at  Pittsburgh.  Wise  was  now 
confronted  with  the  question  whether  he  should 
attend  this  conference.     He  thus  comments  on  the 


The  Hebrew  Union  College      307 

call:  "Should  he  or  should  he  not  go  there? 
Should  he  or  should  he  not  maintain  a  sort  of 
neutrality  in  the  face  of  the  combating  parties? 
Is  it  fair,  becoming,  admirable,  to  keep  aloof  when 
matters  so  important  to  American  Israelites  are 
to  be  discussed?"  After  mature  deliberation  he 
resolved  to  go  to  Pittsburgh,  and  he  did  go,  for  the 
following  reasons: 

"Silence  is  a  crime  when  speech  on  behalf  of 
principles  is  necessary.  Silence  is  a  token  of 
weakness  and  cowardice  where  principles  are 
loudly  assailed.  Silence,  when  two  systems  of 
what  are  called  reform  and  orthodoxy  are  placed 
face  to  face  to  justify  their  existence,  would  have 
been  deemed  equivalent  to  giving  the  He  to  his 
life's  work  and  career,  a  recantation  of  their  under- 
lying principles.  He  would  not  go  to  Canossa 
(New  York),  and  went  to  Pittsburgh  to  fall  as  a 
man  rather  than  to  rise  as  a  renegade.    .    .    . 

"Reform  without  freedom  is  about  the  same  as 
Judaism  without  principles.  Dr.  Wise  could  only 
decide  in  favour  of  union  and  harmonious  personal 
freedom,  and  so  he  resolved  to  go  to  Pittsburgh, 
and  he  did  go  to  exercise  the  franchise  of  a  freeman 
in  the  service  of  a  holy  cause. 

"But  then  there  was  the  consideration  for  the 
union  and  the  college.     Here  Dr.  Wise  naturally 


3o8  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

told  himself  that  the  same  parties  precisely  now 
challenge  the  reform  cause  and  men,  and  want  us 
all  to  go  to  Canossa.  So  that  these  selfsame 
parties  .  .  .  are  precisely  the  same  parties  that 
always  and  incessantly  denounced,  persecuted 
and  .  .  .  injured  and  undermined  the  union 
and  the  college.  Nothing  but  animosity  and  rest- 
less opposition  can  be  expected  of  them.  On  the 
other  side  is  the  young  element  to  whom  belongs 
the  future,  the  progressive  and  enlightened  ele- 
ment, and  among  those  men  the  lifelong  friends  of 
the  union  and  of  the  college.  Ignoring  them  at 
this  juncture  would  make  no  friends  for  these 
institutions  on  either  side — the  New  York-Phila- 
delphia conspiracy  against  them  is  there,  and  the 
reform  element  would  only  be  offended  by  being 
ignored.  Therefore,  for  the  benefit  of  the  union 
and  the  college,  also.  Dr.  Wise  resolved  to  go  to 
Pittsburgh,  and  he  did  go.  If  no  peace  can  be 
made  with  the  Eastern  conspirators  let  us  have 
peace,  union,  and  good-fellowship  among  ourselves. 

"In  the  Pittsburgh  conference  nothing  practical 
was  done ;  a  platform  of  principles  was  constructed 
on  which  all  reformatory  ideas,  projects,  and  per- 
sons could  stand  and  co-operate.    .    .    . 

"A  peace  on  fundamental  principles  among 
the  progressive  teachers  in  American  Israel  was 


The  Hebrew  Union  College      309 

attempted  and  secured.  ...  It  happened,  how- 
ever, that  unreliable  reporters  spread  accounts 
through  the  press,  and  before  the  conference  was 
adjourned  it  was  spread  all  over  the  land  that  it 
had  abolished  the  Sinaic  Sabbath,  the  Abrahamitic 
sign  of  the  Covenant,  that  it  denied  revelation, 
prophecy,  miracles,  or  whatever  men  ignorant  of 
Jewish  theology  call  the  divinity  of  the  Bible;  not 
a  word  of  which  was  true.  .  .  .  Capital  was 
made  of  these  reports  by  opponents  of  the  union 
and  the  college ....  There  appeared  again  the 
old  sophistry  'Dr.  Wise  is  the  Union,  Dr.  Wise 
is  the  College,  Dr.  Wise  is  a  heretic.  Kill  them 
off,  all  of  them.'" ^ 

Within  a  year  after  the  Pittsburgh  conference 
the  American  Hebrew,  of  New  York,  the  organ  of 
Orthodox  Judaism,  attacked  Dr.  Wise  as  an  heretic, 
and  in  the  issue  of  February  26,  1886,^  pubHshed 
an  editorial,  "The  Need  of  the  Seminary,"  in 
which  it  is  said:  "The  American  Hebrew  sup- 
ported the  union  and  the  union  college  until  all 
hope  of  having  Judaism  taught  in  the  college,  and 
by  the  lives  of  the  preceptors,  became  demon- 
strably vain.  We  have  had  to  become  reconciled 
to  the  necessity  of  starting  a  new  institution  free 

'  Israelite,  vol.  xxxiv.,  No.  39, 
•  Vol.  xxvi.,  No.  3. 


3IO  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

from  the  shadow  of  baneful  influences  which  have 
perverted  the  Cincinnati  institution." 

The  Jewish  Theological  Seminary  of  New  York 
was  shortly  thereafter  organized,  but  it  did  not 
thrive  during  Wise's  lifetime,  and  even  at  this 
date  few  of  its  graduates  occupy  any  prominent 
pulpits  in  America.  Nevertheless,  its  organiza- 
tion and  support  by  the  East  retarded  the  material 
progress  of  the  Hebrew  Union  College. 

The  union  steadily  increased  in  strength,  and  as 
each  succeeding  class  graduated  from  the  college, 
the  newly  ordained  rabbis  spread  the  influence  of 
the  college  throughout  the  country.  Donations 
and  bequests  likewise  increased,  and  had  it  not 
been  for  the  large  Russian  Jewish  immigration 
driven  to  this  country  by  the  barbaric  persecution 
which  required  enormous  sums  for  relief  work,  a 
permanent  endowment  might  have  been  secured 
for  the  college  during  Wise's  lifetime.  With  few 
exceptions,  however,  the  Jews  of  America  do  not 
contribute  liberally  for  religious  education.  They 
give  large  sums  for  charitable  purposes,  orphan 
asylums,  hospitals,  relief  work  of  all  kind,  but  they 
have  not  yet  learned  the  art  of  endowing  their 
educational  institutions. 

Frequently  Wise  offered  to  retire  from  the 
presidency  of  the  college  and  the  faculty,  because 


The  Hebrew  Union  College      311 

he  felt  his  retirement  might  benefit  the  institution 
financially.  It  would  have  required,  however,  an 
endowment  of  at  least  $150,000  to  replace  him. 
From  1875  to  1879  he  did  not  receive  any  com- 
pensation either  as  President  or  Professor  of 
Theology  and  Philosophy.  From  December,  1879, 
to  September,  1880,  he  received  $83.33  ^  month  as 
an  allowance  toward  house  rent,  because  at  that 
time  he  removed  to  his  coimtry  home  and  had  to 
maintain  a  separate  house  in  the  city.  From 
September,  1880,  until  his  death,  in  March,  1900, 
he  received  an  allowance  of  fifty  dollars  a  month 
for  the  expenses  of  the  presidential  ofhce,  so  that 
during  the  twenty  years,  1 880-1 900,  he  received 
twelve  thousand  dollars^  as  President  and  Professor 
of  Theology  and  Philosophy,  only  as  expenses, 
however,  for  the  conduct  of  his  office  as  president. 
Today  the  salary  of  the  president  of  the  college  is 
six  thousand  dollars  per  annum. 

It  can  thus  be  readily  seen  that  the  finances  of 
the  college  made  it  impossible  for  Wise  to  retire 
even  if  he  had  desired  to  do  so.  In  accepting  the 
election  as  president  of  the  college  he  had  written : 
"The  indigent  student  will  always  find  him  ready 
to  help.     It  will  be  his  pride  to  be  a  parental  friend 

^  Most  of  this  money  was  used  by  Dr,  Wise  for  the  support  of 
needy  students. 


312  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

to  the  intelligent  youth  of  our  country,  whose 
confidence  he  flatters  himself  to  possess,  and  claims 
but  one  reward,  success. " 

Long  before  the  close  of  his  Hfe  these  words 
became  a  Hving  truth.  At  the  time  of  his  death 
there  were  sixty-one  graduates  of  the  Hebrew 
Union  College  and  seventy-three  students  in  the 
college.  These  1 34  were  his  "  boys,  "and  during  his 
life  each  year  his  birthday  was  appropriately  cele- 
brated by  the  "  boys,"  who  looked  upon  him  as  a 
venerable  sage,  a  wise  counsellor  and  a  kind  father. 
He  assisted  all  of  them  financially,  and  his  home 
and  table  were  always  open  to  them.  Every 
Passover  Eve  the  Seder  was  celebrated,  and  the 
whole  student  body  sat  down  with  the  family  to 
the  Passover  feast.  The  anniversary  of  his  death 
has  been  designated  as  Founder's  Day,  and  is 
annually  observed  at  the  college,  and  in  every 
congregation  in  which  a  graduate  of  the  col- 
lege officiates  beautiful  tributes  are  paid  to  his 
memory. 

Wise  was  a  great  college  president.  As  presi- 
dent his  administrative  work  was  arduous.  In  the 
first  place  he  had  to  build  up  the  college,  prepare 
the  curriculum,  secure  a  competent  faculty,  and 
induce  young  men  to  attend  the  institution.  The 
whole  scheme  was  an  experiment,  but  ten  years 


The  Hebrew  Union  College      313 


after  the  opening  of  the  college,  when  the  graduates 
were  eagerly  sought  by  the  large  congregations  in 
the  land,  its  success  was  assured,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  in  1900,  the  graduates  of  the  college 
were  at  the  head  of  the  leading  Jewish  reform  con- 
gregations of  America.  In  New  York,  Silverman 
had  succeeded  Gottheil,  of  Temple  Emanuel;  in 
Philadelphia,  Krauskopf  occupied  the  pulpit  of 
Samuel  Hirsch,  and  Berkowitz  that  of  the  orthodox 
Jastrow;  in  Chicago,  Stolz  that  of  the  learned 
Felsenthal;  in  Baltimore,  Rosenau  had  the  pulpit 
of  Szold;  and  in  Cincinnati,  Philipson  was  the 
rabbi  of  LiHenthal's  congregation,  and  Louis 
Grossmann,  who  had  been  the  associate  of  Wise, 
was  about  to  succeed  him,  and  in  New  Orleans, 
Heller  had  followed  James  K.  Gutheim. 

In  addition  to  these,  other  graduates  of  the  col- 
lege were  officiating  in  New  York,  Buffalo,  Albany, 
Rochester,  Brooklyn,  Boston,  Cleveland,  Balti- 
more, Richmond,  Va.,  Chicago,  Kansas  City, 
Milwaukee,  Detroit,  St.  Louis,  Peoria,  Denver, 
Mobile,  Louisville,  Galveston,  and  in  many 
smaller  cities  throughout  the  country.  A  few 
years  ago  one  of  the  graduates  was  chosen  rabbi 
at  San  Francisco,  and  another  rabbi  of  a  large 
congregation  in  London,  England.  Today  the 
number  of  graduates  has  increased  to   170,  and 


314  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the  alumni  of  the  Hebrew  Union  College  is  an 
important  and  influential  body. 

The  official  reports  of  the  Board  of  Governors  of 
the  Hebrew  Union  College  contain  the  monthly 
and  annual  reports  of  the  president  of  the  college. 
These  give  evidence  of  the  painstaking  labours  of 
Wise  as  an  executive.  Without  the  assistance  and 
loyal  support  of  the  Board  of  Governors,  of  which 
the  late  Bemhard  Bettmann,  of  Cincinnati,  was 
president  from  1875  to  191 1,  Wise  would  have 
been  unable  to  carry  on  his  work. 

His  last  official  report  is  the  monthly  report 
dated  February  27,  1900.'  In  this  he  says:  "It 
is  a  source  of  great  pleasure  to  me  that  I  can  report 
to  your  honourable  body  that  the  Hebrew  Union 
College  in  the  twenty-five  years  of  its  existence 
has  reached  the  zenith  of  its  glory.  It  can  point 
with  satisfaction  to  a  faculty  of  nine  teachers, 
several  of  them  authors  of  eminence.  ...  To 
the  best  of  my  knowledge  this  is  not  the  case  in 
similar  schools  here  or  abroad.  .  .  .  The  He- 
brew Union  College  points  with  pride  to  its  sixty- 
four  graduated  rabbis^  .  .  .  and  seventy- three 
students.  Thank  Heaven  for  this  unparalleled 
success  of  an  institution  which  had  to  contend 

'  Proceedings  U.  A.  H.  C,  pp.  4163-64. 
*  This  included  honorary  degrees. 


The  Hebrew  Union  College      315 

against  so  much  opposition,  indifferentism  on  the 
one  hand  and  hostility  on  the  other." 

Wise  was  not  only  an  efficient  college  executive, 
but  he  was  a  successful  teacher.  The  first  requisite 
of  a  good  teacher  is  to  enjoy  the  confidence, 
respect,  and  love  of  his  students.  This  Wise  had 
to  the  fullest  extent.  He  was  not  only  their  pro- 
fessor, but  their  spiritual  and  foster  father.  To 
him  the  students  were  not  only  seekers  after 
knowledge,  but  they  were  in  reaHty  his  "boys." 
He  looked  after  their  material  as  well  as  their 
spiritual  welfare.  He  never  could  forget  with 
what  kindness  he  had  been  treated  in  his  student 
days,  and  he  now  returned  this  a  hundredfold. 
To  the  students  and  graduates  of  the  college. 
Wise  was  always  the  "Master." 

As  Professor  of  Theology,  Philosophy,  and  His- 
tory, his  learning  and  scholarship  were  appreciated 
by  all  who  sat  at  his  feet.  He  prepared  his  lec- 
tures very  carefully,  and  many  of  his  books  are 
the  result  of  his  academic  career,  notably  The  His- 
tory of  the  Hebrews'  Second  Commonwealth,  pub- 
lished in  1880,  and  the  Pronaos  to  Holy  Writ, 
pubHshed  in  1891. 

It  was  Wise's  custom  to  welcome  the  students 
at  the  beginning  of  each  college  year  with  an 
appropriate  address,  and  he  always  insisted  on  the 


3i6  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

importance  of  scholarship.  In  one  of  these  ad- 
dresses he  said:  "There  can  be  no  victory  without 
combat,  no  triumph  without  a  struggle,  and  the 
value  of  the  one  is  measured  by  the  intensity  of 
the  other.  The  student's  combat  is  in  his  studies, 
and  his  triumphs  in  his  learning.  .  .  .  Young 
men,  the  great  mystery  of  success  lies  in  your 
acquisition  of  knowledge  first,  and  an  enthusiastic 
persistence  in  your  work.  Your  knowledge  is  your 
capital.  There  is  nothing  profane  in  learning, 
and  what  is  usually  called  profane  learning  is  an 
important  department  of  your  studies.  .  .  . 
Judaism  must  be  studied  in  the  products  of  the 
Hebrew  mind,  and  these  are  preserved  in  Israel's 
great  literature." 

He  always  insisted  on  the  cultivation  of  religious 
zeal.  "The  morality  of  the  rabbinical  student," 
he  said,  "who  seeks  rabbinical  honours  from  his 
Alma  Mater,  includes  the  possession  of  genuine 
religious  zeal  and  enthusiasm.  Without  this  he 
may  become  an  actor  in  the  pulpit,  a  polished 
elocutionist,  a  sensationalist,  a  seeker  of  plaudits, 
but  no  rabbi.  I  consider  it  my  duty  to  admonish 
all  present  to  leave  this  college  if  they  lack  religious 
zeal  and  enthusiasm  for  they  never  will  be  honest 
rabbis;  their  whole  life  would  be  criminal.  If 
you  do  not  possess  this  excellent  quality,  you  must 


The  Union  Hebrew  College      317 

cultivate  it  assiduously  so  that  it  may  become 
permanent  in  your  character;  you  must  be  con- 
scientious in  your  religious  practices  as  in  your 
studies.    .    .    ."' 

And  thus  for  nearly  twenty-five  years  he  con- 
tinued to  work  faithfully,  zealously,  and  indus- 
triously for  the  college  as  its  president  and  one  of 
its  teachers,  worked  for  the  love  of  work,  for  Israel's 
cause,  for  the  preservation  of  Judaism  in  America 
by  the  establishment  of  a  rabbinical  college. 

Although  he  gave  his  services  gratuitously,  he 
gave  them  willingly,  and  he  never  shirked  his 
duty.  Wise  was  always  at  his  post  of  duty,  he 
seldom  missed  a  lecture,  and  when  the  end  came 
he  was  in  the  midst  of  his  boys.  For  on  that  Sab- 
bath afternoon,  March  24,  1900,  just  as  he  had 
finished  his  hour  of  instruction  and  was  about  to 
arise  from  his  chair,  the  stroke  that  proved  to  be 
fatal  was  received.  He  literally  died  in  harness. 
Probably  no  man  knew  him  better  as  a  teacher 
than  his  friend  and  successor,  Moses  Mielziner, 
the  great  professor  of  Talmud. 

In  "An  Appreciation,"  delivered  in  the  college 
chapel  the  Saturday  after  the  great  founder's 
death,  he  said^:  "Dr.  Isaac  M.  Wise  was  'a  prince 

^  Selected  Writings  of  I.  M.  Wise,  pp.  391-396. 
'Ibid.,  pp.  113-121. 


31 8  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

and  a  great  man  in  Israel.'  He  was  a  prince,  a 
spiritual  prince ....  Eulogies  in  honour  of  the 
deceased  great  leader  and  teacher  will  soon  be 
delivered  from  the  pulpits  of  all  temples  and 
synagogues  of  this  country.  But  it  was  found  to 
be  proper  that  today,  at  the  re-opening  of  our 
interrupted  sessions,  a  memorial  service  be  held 
here  in  our  Hebrew  Union  College.  For  who  has 
more  cause  to  honour  the  departed  great  leader 
than  this  college?  This  institution  was  his  be- 
loved child,  which  he  fostered  and  brought  up, 
and  to  which  he  devoted  his  best  time  and  power, 
aye,  his  very  last  activity  in  life  was  the  instruc- 
tion he  gave  here  on  last  Saturday  just  before 
having  received  the  warning  stroke  that  the  end 
was  near.    ,    .    . 

"My  friends,  we  are  told  in  the  Talmud  that 
when  Rabbi  Jochanan  ben  Zaccai,  the  most  dis- 
tinguished teacher  of  his  time,  was  about  to  die, 
he  was  surrounded  by  his  disciples  v/ho  asked  for 
his  last  admonition  and  blessing,  and  on  this 
occasion  they  addressed  him  with  these  words: 
'Thou  art  the  light  of  Israel,  the  right-handed 
pillar,  the  powerful  hammer.'  These  three  epi- 
thets are  indeed  very  significant.  They  character- 
ize the  principal  merits  of  that  great  master  of 
old,  and  I  think  they  designate  also  the  principal 


The  Union  Hebrew  College      319 

merits  of  the  great  master  whose  death  we  are 
mourning."  Dr.  Mielzlner  then  characterizes 
Wise  as  the  American  Rabbi  Jochanan  ben  Zaccai, 
because,  like  the  rabbi  of  old,  who  saved  Judaism 
by  establishing  the  famous  academy  at  Jabneh, 
so  Wise  saved  Judaism  in  America  by  estabHshing 
the  Hebrew  Union  College. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  the  death  of  Wise 
that  the  Jews  of  America  were  willing  to  contribute 
large  sums  for  the  permanent  endowment  of  the 
Hebrew  Union  College.  The  executive  boards  of 
the  Union  then  began  a  movement  to  establish  the 
Isaac  ]M.  Wise  Endowment  Fund  in  honour  of 
the  man  who  founded  the  college,  and  who  served 
without  compensation  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  as 
its  President  and  Professor  of  Theology  and  Philo- 
sophy. 

The  college  authorities  sought  to  raise  a  fund 
of  $500,000,  and  the  propaganda  in  behalf  of  this 
endowment  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  Rabbi 
Joseph  Krauskopf ,  of  Philadelphia,  through  whose 
enthusiastic  efforts  nearly  $400,000  have  been 
collected. 

Wise,  in  his  daily  journeys  to  and  from  his 
College  Hill  home,  often  passed  the  beautiful  site 
where  now  stands  the  handsome  Hebrew  Union 
College  buildings,  but,  like  the  great  lawgiver  of 


320  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Israel,  though  Wise  saw  the  promised  land,  he 
did  not  live  to  enter  it. 

Within  the  walls  of  that  great  institution,  whence 
have  gone  forth  170  young  men,  educated  as 
American  rabbis,  the  spirit  of  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 
is  all-pervading.  His  life-size  portrait  stands  in 
the  Board  of  Governors'  room,  and  in  the  hall 
Sir  Moses  Ezekiel's  great  bronze  bust  greets  the 
visitor. 

Today  the  Hebrew  Union  College,  founded  by 
Wise,  has  outlived  the  violent  opposition  directed 
against  its  establishment  and  the  bitter  attacks 
made  upon  it  during  the  first  decade  of  its  exist- 
ence. The  Eastern  radical  rabbis  gradually  rallied 
to  its  support  and  nearly  all  of  them  reversed  their 
unfavourable  opinions  regarding  that  institution. 
Probably  the  strongest  evidence  that  can  be  cited 
to  support  this  view  is  the  fact  that  Dr.  Kaufman 
Kohler,  Einhorn's  son-in-law,  and  successor  at 
Temple  Beth  El,  New  York,  who,  in  1871,  pub- 
lished the  following':  "The  editor  of  the  Israelite 
and  the  Deborah  said  once  to  the  writer  of  this 
article,  in  Philadelphia,  'I  regret  that  I  did  not 
follow  the  legal  profession.  I  would  have  suc- 
ceeded much  better  in  America.'  It  is  really  a 
pity  that  the  advocate  of  Judaism  had  not  followed 

'  Jewish  Times,  vol.  iii.,  p.  20. 


The  Union  Hebrew  College      321 

this  career.  It  would  have  been  much  better  for 
his  own  cause  and  the  cause  of  Israel  if  he  had 
become  a  lawyer.  He  had  an  especial  talent  for 
twisting  and  lawyer's  tricks,  which  are  altogether 
foreign  to  the  cause  of  Judaism,"  was  one  of  the 
Board  of  Examiners  of  the  college  in  1883,  when 
the  first  class  was  graduated,  is  now  the  honoured 
President  of  the  college  and  among  the  most 
zealous  and  enthusiastic  eulogists  of  the  coUege 
and  its  founder,  Wise. 


21 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  CENTRAL    CONFERENCE   OF   AMERICAN  RABBIS 

When  Isaac  Mayer  Wise  began  his  constructive 
work  in  American  Judaism  he  was  of  the  opinion 
that  he  could  accompHsh  his  purpose  best  by  the 
establishment  of  a  conference  of  rabbis,  and  by 
means  of  such  body  organize  a  congregational 
union  and  found  a  rabbinical  college.  But  after 
a  campaign  of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  he 
realized  that  he  could  not  depend  upon  the  rabbis 
as  such  to  advocate  union,  and  that  no  conference 
of  rabbis  could  be  held  together  until  a  rabbinical 
college  was  founded  whose  graduates,  more  or  less 
homogeneous  and  schooled  in  American  Judaism, 
were  numerically  sufficient  to  form  a  nucleus  for 
such  a  rabbinical  association. 

Prior  to  1889,  the  year  in  which  the  Central 

Conference  of  American   Rabbis  was  organized, 

there  had  been  several  efforts  made  by  Wise  to 

establish  rabbinical  conferences,  notably  in  1848- 

49  and  in  1855.     Both  failed  because  of  the  diver- 

322 


ISAAC    M.    WISE 
AET.  70 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis  323 

• 

sity  of  opinions  held  by  the  rabbis  in  America 
on  nearly  all  important  religious  questions.  The 
Cleveland  conference  of  1855  was  an  ambitious 
project,  and  its  failure  widened  the  breach  not 
only  between  reform  and  orthodox  Judaism,  but 
between  the  radical  and  moderate  or  conservative 
reformers. 

After  the  failure  of  the  first  effort  for  union  in 
1848-49,  Wise  made  no  further  attempt  in  that 
direction  while  at  Albany.  Within  a  year  after  his 
arrival  in  Cincinnati  he  began  again  to  agitate  in 
the  columns  of  the  Israelite  the  necessity  of  a 
conference  of  rabbis  and  laymen.  In  the  March 
2,  1855,'  issue  of  the  Israelite  he  writes:  "If  it  is 
admitted  that  the  evil,  every  man  a  law  unto  him- 
self, exists,  and  that  it  should  be  remedied,  the 
next  legitimate  question  will  be.  How  can  it  be 
remedied?  We  say  by  a  regular  triennial  synod. 
.  .  .  We  must  have  a  conference  to  organize 
a  synod,  for  this  alone  wiU  settle  the  difficulties 
and  open  a  bright  futiu"e  for  our  religion  and  our 
religious  institutions  in  this  country." 

On  August  10,  1855,^  there  appears  in  the 
Israelite  a  call  for  "The  First  Conference,"  signed 
by  Rev.  Drs.  Cohn,  of  Albany;  Guenzberg  and 
Hochheimer,  of  Baltimore;  Illowy,  of  St.  Louis; 

'  Vol.  i.,  No.  34.  '  Vol.  ii.,  No.  5. 


324  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Kalisch,  of  Cleveland;  Merzbacher,  of  New  York, 
and  Lilienthal,  Rothenheim,  and  Wise,  of  Cincin- 
nati. The  conference,  which  ministers  and  dele- 
gates of  Israelitish  congregations  were  invited  to 
attend,  at  Cleveland,  October  17,  1855,  was:  "To 
deliberate  on  the  following  points:  (i)  Articles 
of  Union  of  American  Israel  on  Theory  and  Prac- 
tice; (2)  A  Plan  to  Organize  a  Regular  Synod 
Composed  of  Delegates  of  Congregations;  (3)  To 
Discuss  and  Refer  to  a  Committee  a  Plan  for  a 
Minhag  America ;  (4)  A  Plan  for  Scholastic  Educa- 
tion, and,  (5)  Other  Propositions  Presented." 

In  pursuance  of  this  call  there  met  at  Cleveland 
on  October  17,  1855,  the  rabbis  and  representatives 
of  congregations  of  Alban}^  Chicago,  Cincinnati, 
Cleveland,  Detroit,  Louisville,  New  York,  and 
Philadelphia,  and  representatives  from  St.  Louis, 
Baltimore,  Boston,  and  Richmond.  Wise  was 
elected  president ;  Cohn,  of  Albany,  vice-president, 
and  Lilienthal,  secretary.  Speaking  of  the  officers, 
Wise  writes  in  his  Reminiscences'':  "Two  mis- 
takes were  made  at  the  very  start  in  the  election 
of  officers;  I  was  elected  president,  Dr.  Lilienthal 
secretary,  and  Dr.  Cohn  vice-president.  Instead 
of  that,  Cohn  or  Merzbacher  should  have  been 
elected   president,    Leeser   vice-president,    and   a 

'  Page  312. 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis  325 

scribe,  not  an  orator,  shoiild  have  been  elected 
secretary." 

Wise's  purpose  at  this  time  was  to  bring  about  a 
union  between  reform  and  orthodox,  and  he  pro- 
posed a  platform  upon  which  he  thought  both 
parties  could  stand.  In  fact,  Isaac  Leeser,  the 
editor  of  the  Occident,  the  organ  of  orthodoxy,  was 
at  the  convention,  and  while  there  agreed  to  the 
platform,  the  most  important  declarations  of  which 
were  the  following:  (i)  The  Bible  is  of  Immediate 
Divine  Origin;  (2)  The  Talmud  Contains  the 
Traditional,  Legal,  and  Logical  Exposition  of  the 
Biblical  Laws  which  must  be  Expounded  and 
Practised  according  to  the  Comments  of  the  Tal- 
mud; (3)  The  Resolutions  of  the  Synod  in  accord- 
ance with  the  above  Principles  are  Legally  Valid; 
(4)  Statutes  and  Ordinances  Contrary  to  the 
Laws  of  the  Land  are  Invalid.  The  conference 
appointed  a  committee,  consisting  of  Wise,  Roth- 
enheim,  Merzbacher,  and  Kahsch,  to  prepare  a 
Minhag  America,  or  American  ritual,  and  also 
committees  to  prepare  a  plan  for  a  permanent 
synod,  and  for  institutions  such  as  a  rabbinical 
college  and  charitable  organizations. 

Unfortunately,  however,  no  further  meeting  of 
this  body  took  place.  While  the  conference  was 
still  in   session,    there   arrived   in   America   from 


326  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Germany,  Rabbi  David  Einhom,  who  had  been 
elected  rabbi  of  the  reform  congregation  Har 
Sinai,  of  Baltimore.  Rabbi  David  Einhom  was 
an  ultra  radical  in  Judaism.  He  was  a  follower  of 
Samuel  Holdheim,  the  leading  radical  of  Berlin. 
Soon  thereafter  he  became  an  opponent  of  Wise, 
and  during  the  ensuing  twenty-three  years  bitterly 
opposed  him  in  all  his  projects  for  a  union  and  a 
rabbinical  college.  Har  Sinai  congregation  issued 
a  protest,  written  by  Einhom,  against  the  Cleve- 
land conference,  because  of  its  pronouncement  in 
favour  of  the  Talmud,  claiming  that  such  a  declara- 
tion was  a  decided  step  backwards.  Protests 
were  likewise  issued  against  the  conference  by  the 
reform  congregations  Beth  Elohim,  of  Charleston, 
S.  C,  and  Temple  Emanuel,  of  New  York.  The 
orthodox  element,  under  the  leadership  of  Leeser, 
likewise  attacked  the  work  of  the  conference  and 
Wise. 

In  his  Reminiscences^  Wise,  after  speaking  of  the 
supposed  success  of  the  conference,  writes:  "We 
idealists  see  light  and  hope,  victory  and  triumph, 
where  cold  reason  perceives  no  noticeable  change. 
We  dip  our  brush  in  golden  colours,  paint  our 
imaginary  pictures,  and  embrace  them  as  though 
they  were  real  creations.     The  beloved  smiles,  and 

'Pages  317-318. 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis   327 

In  this  smile  the  enamoured  idealist  imagines  that 
he  reads  a  declaration  of  love.  Judaism,  progress 
— ^American  Judaism  free,  progressive,  enlightened, 
imited,  and  respected — this  was  my  ideal,  hence 
in  every  smile  of  the  beloved  I  saw  victory  of 
my  love.  I  have  often  been  woefully  deceived. 
Still  more  often  and  more  woefully  have  I  deceived 
myself.  .  .  .  My  joy  was  not  to  last  long;  the 
disillusionment  followed  quickly,  and  there  began 
a  new  struggle  which  seemed  as  though  it  would 
never  end. 

"The  storm  which  denuded  my  tree  of  hope  of 
its  blossoms  broke  in  the  East.  Protests  against 
the  resolutions  of  the  conference  were  published 
in  Baltimore,  Charleston,  and  New  York.  These 
inflicted  a  sore  wound  upon  the  unity  of  American 
Judaism.  They  fell  like  lightning  from  a  clear 
sky.  No  one  expected  them,  for  they  proceeded 
from  the  reform  camp,  whose  active  support  we 
counted  upon  confidently.  A  split  among  the 
reformers,  whose  principles  were  not  yet  definitely 
fixed,  appeared  to  me  an  event  painful  and  fraught 
with  misfortune.  It  depressed  and  discouraged 
me  completely;  for  without  union  among  the 
reformers,  who  were  in  the  minority,  no  progres- 
sive measures  could  be  hoped  for  from  the  synod. 
There  was  hope  for  the  victory  of  the  reform  ele- 


328  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

ment  only  on  the  condition  that  its  leaders  were 
all  united.  All  the  efforts  for  union  were 
shattered,  for  the  moment  at  any  rate,  by  these 
protests.  Like  Jeremiah,  I  sat  upon  the  ruins. 
.  .  .  The  best  thing  to  have  done  at  that  time 
would  have  been  to  have  gone  at  once  to  Charles- 
ton, Baltimore,  and  New  York  in  order  to  have 
effected  a  recall  of  the  protests  by  personal  efforts 
and  explanations.  I  would  have  done  this  if 
honour  and  self-respect  had  not  forbidden;  for 
in  addition  to  the  protests,  there  appeared  in  the 
German  newspaper  of  Baltimore,  and  later  in  the 
monthly  magazine  Sinai  [Einhorn's  paper],  which 
was  established  for  this  purpose,  as  well  as  in  the 
New  York  Asmonean  .  .  .  articles  on  the  con- 
ference, its  members,  officers,  and  resolutions 
which  were  so  dishonouring,  insulting,  and  abusive, 
so  charged  with  personal  insults  and  fierce  invec- 
tives, that  my  enthusiasm  cooled  perceptibly,  my 
optimism  was  sadly  diminished,  and  a  feeling  of 
aversion  to  all  public  activities  possessed  me. 
We  were  treated  not  as  scholars,  rabbis,  public 
teachers  of  religion,  but  like  a  crowd  of  political 
bummers  and  adventurous  tramps;  not  like  men 
who  served  the  cause  of  all  Israel,  but  like  a  band 
of  self-seeking,  law  sharpers,  looking  only  to  their 
own  self-aggrandizement,  and  that,  too,  in  pithy 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis   329 

and  biting  language,  the  like  of  which  we  had 
never  met  with  before,  and  which  disclosed  hatred, 
rage,  and  fanaticism  rather  than  instruction  and 
argument.    .    .    . 

"The  whole  purpose  of  the  conference  and  pro- 
posed synod  was  passed  over  in  silence,  and  the 
Talmud,  together  with  the  men  who  had  attended 
the  meeting,  were  made  the  chief  objects  of  attack. 
The  cry  was  that  the  conference  had  declared  for 
the  authority  of  the  Talmud.  ...  At  that  time 
the  Talmud  was  denounced  in  unmeasured  fashion. 
.  .  .  Yea,  it  was  declared  to  be  immoral,  not 
only  in  newspaper  articles,  but  also  in  sermons — ■ 
and  orthodox  Judaism  was  represented  as  being 
an  offence  against  reason  and  morality  and  un- 
mercifully scored.  I  could  not  permit  this  to  pass 
without  notice.  After  1  had  fought  for  years 
publicly  and  most  successfully  against  English 
missionaries.  ...  I  could  not  allow  an  attack 
to  be  made  on  the  morality  of  the  Talmud,  and 
orthodoxy  within  my  own  camp.  .  .  .  After  I 
had  successfully  defended  the  honour  of  the  Tal- 
mud and  orthodox  Judaism  on  the  score  of  their 
morality,  I  began  in  March,  1856,  to  explain  and 
establish  scientifically  the  significance  of  the  reso- 
lutions of  the  Cleveland  conference.  The  object 
of  that  essay  was  to  establish  the  following  four 


330  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

propositions:  (i)  The  Talmud  amends  biblical 
laws;  (2)  Has  rescinded  biblical  laws;  (3)  Has 
made  new  laws,  and  (4)  Has  rescinded  many  of  its 
own  laws.  .  .  .  The  attacks  in  the  East  and 
my  bold  defence  of  the  morality  of  the  Talmud  and 
orthodox  Judaism  won  for  me  the  confidence  of  the 
orthodox  and  moderate  parties;  hence  my  efforts 
for  reform  aroused  confidence,  and  this  was  the 
reason  why  the  reform  movement  made  such  rapid 
progress  in  the  West  and  South.  The  fight  on  the 
Talmud  drove  me  to  Talmudical  studies  once 
again.  Whenever  failure  was  my  portion,  when- 
ever I  was  offended  and  made  unhappy  in  life,  I 
took  refuge  in  study  to  forget  the  world  and  myself 
in  it.  .  .  .  I  learned  from  the  Talmud  a  heroic 
but  very  effective  remedy  to  forget  personal  ills, 
'If  you  have  a  headache,  study  in  the  law.'  I 
did  this  now.    ..." 

AN  AMERICAN   PRAYER-BOOK 

The  Cleveland  conference  had  one  important 
result,  the  completion  of  an  American  ritual,  or 
Minhag  America  as  it  was  called.  The  conference 
appointed  a  committee  composed  of  Wise,  Rothen- 
heim,  Merzbacher,  and  Kalisch.  Merzbacher  died 
the  following  year,  so  the  other  three  took  up  the 
work  during  the  winter  of  1856-57. 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis   331 

In  the  spring  of  1847,  Wise  had,  at  the  request 
of  Dr.  LiHenthal,  prepared  a  ritual  to  be  considered 
by  Drs.  Lilienthal,  Wise,  Felsenheld,  and  Kohl- 
meyer.  Nothing,  however,  came  of  this  move- 
ment, which  has  been  described  in  Chapter  V.  of 
this  book.  The  committee  prepared  Part  One  of 
the  new  ritual,  and  in  the  preparation  of  the  work 
the  following  principles  were  observed:  (i)  No 
one  man  is  authorized  to  make  a  prayer-book  for 
a  congregation;  (2)  The  ancient  form  of  divine 
service  to  be  preserved;  (3)  Individual  congrega- 
tions to  decide  how  much  English  or  Hebrew  to  be 
recited  in  the  service;  (4)  Whatever  is  contrary  to 
the  conception  of  biblical  Judaism,  American 
Israel,  or  the  wants  and  demands  of  our  time 
must  be  omitted,  and  the  whole  must  be  no  longer 
than  necessary  for  a  divine  service  with  choir, 
organ  and  sermon.  In  his  Reminiscences,'^  Wise 
writes:  "It  was  out  of  the  question  to  retain  the 
old  prayers  unchanged,  because  the  belief  in  the 
coming  of  a  personal  Messiah  descended  from 
the  house  of  David  had  disappeared  from  among 
the  people.  The  return  to  Palestine,  the  restora- 
tion of  the  Davidic  dynasty,  of  the  sacrificial  cult, 
and  the  accompanying  priestly  caste,  were  neither 
articles  of  faith  nor  commandments  of  Judaism, 

'  Page  343. 


332  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

while  the  lamentations  over  oppression,  persecu- 
tion, and  the  accompanying  cry  for  vengeance 
were  untrue  and  immoral  so  far  as  American  Jews 
were  concerned.  The  cabalistical  portions  which 
had  crept  into  the  prayer-book,  and  the  obstinate 
adherence  to  the  doctrine  of  the  bodily  resurrection 
were  regarded  as  unjustified.  We  also  agreed  that 
the  Sabbath  service  including  the  sermon  should 
not  last  longer  than  two  hours.  .  .  .  We 
resolved  to  publish  an  English  and  German,  as 
well  as  a  Hebrew  version  of  the  prayers,  and  that  it 
should  be  left  to  each  congregation  to  decide  what 
language  it  wished  to  use.    .    .    . 

"Wise  was  the  referee,  Kalisch  and  Rothenheim 
the  critics.  Whatever  was  not  adopted  unani- 
mously was  rejected.  Wise  prepared  the  English 
version  for  which  Nathan  Meyer  furnished  metri- 
cal translations.  KaHsch  and  Rothenheim  com- 
posed the  metrical  portions  of  the  German  version. 
The  prose  German  translations  were  divided 
among  the  three.  The  commission  met  in  my 
[Wise's]  library,  and  finished  the  work  in  thirty- 
eight  sessions.  They  adhered  anxiously  to  tradi- 
tion; they  had  no  desire  to  found  a  new  religion, 
nor  institute  a  new  cult;  they  wished  to  recast 
the  old  and  traditional  prayers  reverently  so  they 
might  be  brought  into  accord  with  the  religious 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis   333 

consciousness  of  the  time  and  the  democratic 
principles  of  the  new  fatherland.  After  the  work 
had  been  finished,  Bloch  &  Company  [of  which 
Isaac  M.  Wise  was  a  member]  had  to  defray  the 
cost  of  publication.  .  .  .  Before  the  last  leaf 
had  left  the  press,  it  had  been  derided  and  decried 
throughout  the  land,  although  only  the  first  part 
(without  services  for  New  Year's  Day,  and  Day  of 
the  Atonement)  had  appeared.  The  name,  JMin- 
hag  America,  was  popular ;  but  not  the  book,  which 
was  attacked  savagely  in  both  camps  (orthodox 
and  reform)  in  the  East  and  rejected.  My  con- 
gregation was  the  first  to  adopt  the  book,  but  not 
without  objections  being  raised.  .  .  .  The  old 
prayer-book  was  deeply  rooted  in  home,  school, 
and  synagogue. 

"It  was  in  the  summer  of  1857  that  the  Minhag 
America  finally  appeared.  For  eleven  years  I 
had  cherished  the  idea,  and  now  it  was  consum- 
mated, but  it  was  attacked  with  all  the  weapons 
possible  immediately  upon  its  appearance,  and 
yet  it  is  the  only  monument  of  the  first  Cleveland 
conference  and  is  now  [1875]  used  in  at  least  one- 
third  of  all  American  Jewish  congregations .  .   .  .  " 

The  radical  reformers  of  the  East  were  German 
and  wedded  to  the  German  pra3^er-book,  and 
Wise's  espousal  of  an  American  prayer-book  gave 


334  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

them  an  additional  excuse  for  refusing  to  join 
him  in  his  efforts  for  a  conference  and  a  union, 
which  undoubtedly  would  have  adopted  either 
Wise's  Minhag  America  or  some  other  union 
prayer-book.  In  the  Israelite  of  December  31, 
1858,'  Wise  prints  an  editorial,  in  which  he  sets 
forth  his  opposition  to  the  German  prayer-books 
as  follows:  (i)  No  reason  why  the  synagogue 
should  be  identified  with  the  German  element,  an 
element  as  strange  to  Judaism  as  Chinese  is;  (2) 
DisHkes  linguistic  separation  from  the  community. 
If  any  other  language  than  Hebrew  is  to  be  used 
then  EngHsh  should  be  used ;  (3)  Can  not  see  why 
the  American  Jews  should  perpetuate  the  language 
of  the  country  in  which  they  were  denied  the  rights 
of  man ;  (4)  The  entire  youth  of  the  country  ignor- 
ant of  German;  (5)  Dangerous  to  introduce  a 
prayer-book  that  will  require  ten  years  to  get  rid 
of;  (6)  Object  of  a  prayer-book  is  solely  and 
exclusively  to  maintain  union  of  synagogues. 
German  prayer-book  only  destroys  union. 

"Strange,  indeed,"  he  writes  in  the  same  edi- 
torial, "is  the  fact  of  radical  reformers  insisting 
upon  Germanizing  our  synagogues  in  the  heart 
of  America;  still  against  every  sound  principle 
they  attempt  to  impose  a  German  prayer-book 
» Vol.  v.,  No.  26. 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis   335 

on   the   synagogue  just  to  impede  the  course  of 
reform. " 

It  was  not,  however,  until  1894,  five  years  after 
the  organization  of  the  Central  Conference  of 
American  Rabbis,  that  a  union  prayer-book  was 
adopted,  and  then  Wise  was  the  first  to  request 
that  his  Minhag  America  should  be  replaced  by 
the  union  prayer-book. 

THE  CONFERENCES  OF  1869,  187I,  AND  1885 

Wise  never  abandoned  the  hope  of  bringing 
about  a  union  of  Hebrew  congregations  through 
the  aid  of  the  rabbis,  until  he  sav\^  that  no  help 
could  be  expected  from  the  rabbis  of  the  East. 

During  the  sixties,  and  especially  in  1868,  he 
had  issued  a  call  for  a  conference,  but  when  in 
1869  Drs.  Einhorn  and  Adler,  of  New  York,  issued 
a  call  for  a  conference  of  progressive  rabbis  to  meet 
in  Philadelphia,  he  attended  the  same,  but  was 
unsuccessful  in  getting  that  conference  to  adopt 
a  plan  for  a  convention  to  establish  a  rabbinical 
college.  This  Philadelphia  conference  issued  a 
statement,  setting  forth  the  underlying  principles 
of  the  reformers  in  Judaism,  and  adopted  certain 
reforms  regarding  rabbinical  legislation  on  mar- 
riage and  divorce,  and  after  adjourning  to  meet  in 


33^  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Cincinnati,  in  1870,  never  met  again,  because  its 
leading  members  refused  to  meet  with  Wise. 

The  1 87 1  conference,  which  met  in  Cincinnati 
and  adopted  resolutions  favouring  the  establish- 
ment of  a  rabbinical  college,  has  been  discussed 
in  Chapter  XII.  of  this  book. 

In  1885,  Dr.  Kaufman  Kohler,  now  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Hebrew  Union  College,  and  the  hon- 
orary president  of  the  Central  Conference  of 
American  Rabbis,  called  the  Pittsburgh  conference 
of  which  Wise  became  the  president.  This  con- 
ference adopted  a  declaration  of  principles  setting 
forth  succinctly  the  principles  of  reform  Judaism, 
and  was  bitterly  attacked  by  the  orthodox  and 
conservative  Jews  in  this  country. 

These  conferences  had  no  permanency,  because 
there  was  not  yet  in  this  country  a  sufficient 
number  of  rabbis  who  were  homogeneous  in 
thought  and  education. 

In  the  July  11,  1884,  issue  of  the  Israelite^  Wise 
wrote  prophetically:  "The  graduates  of  the  He- 
brew Union  College  established  an  alumnal  associa- 
tion, and  elected  their  officers.  The  first  meeting 
will  take  place  in  St.  Louis  in  July,  1885.  Here 
you  have  a  nucleus  for  a  permanent  rabbinical 
association."     In  1889,  five  years  later,  the  Cen- 

I  Vol.,  xxi.,  No.  2. 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis   337 

tral  Conference  of  American  Rabbis  was  organized 
in  Detroit.  And  thus  in  the  seventy-first  year  of 
Wise's  life  was  formed  the  last  of  the  three  great 
organizations  founded  by  him  for  the  perpetuation 
of  Judaism  in  America. 

THE   CENTRAL   CONFERENCE  OF  AMERICAN   RABBIS 

The  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Congregations, 
founded  in  1873,  established  the  Hebrew  Union 
College  in  1875,  and  in  1889  the  graduates  of  the 
Hebrew  Union  College  organized  a  Central  Con- 
ference of  American  Rabbis. 

In  the  May  16,  1889,  issue  of  the  American 
Israelite, '  a  few  wrecks  prior  to  the  meeting  of  the 
eleventh  council  of  the  union  which  was  to  be  held 
at  Detroit,  in  July  of  that  year,  Wise  wrote:  "Will 
you  call  a  conference?  One  of  our  friends  asked  in 
a  sort  of  an  admonishing  tone.  We  will  not,  is  our 
reply,  although  we  are  willing  at  any  time  to  call 
the  continuation  of  the  Pittsburgh  conference  if 
the  majority  of  its  members  authorize  us  to  con- 
vene it,  or,  if  in  July  next  at  Detroit  at  the  meeting 
of  the  council  of  the  Union  of  American  Hebrew 
Congregations  the  rabbis  present  want  it  so,  or 
to  establish  some  new  rabbinical  connection.     At 

'  Vol.  XXV.,  No.  46. 
2a 


338  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the  same  time  we  admit,  as  we  always  did,  that  a 
close  union  and  co-operation  of  the  rabbis  in  this 
country  would  be  a  great  blessing  to  the  cause  of 
Judaism  and  a  great  benefit  to  the  rabbis  them- 
selves. 

"We  are  in  a  state  of  primitive  anarchy  in  all 
matters  appertaining  to  the  synagogue,  and  the 
lawful  relations  of  the  rabbi  and  the  congregation, 
and  by  the  way  of  self-deception  we  call  it  per- 
sonal freedom  or  free  development,  or  by  any  other 
optimistic  name,  which  is  the  mantle  of  charity 
thrown  over  the  frail  limbs  of  our  disintegrating 
self-conceit.  If  you  want  a  change,  you  must  do 
it,  we  are  tied  down  to  the  Pittsburgh  conference. "  * 

Accordingly,  at  Detroit,  on  July  lo,  1889,  at  the 
close  of  the  session  of  the  council  of  the  Union 
of  American  Hebrew  Congregations,  the  Central 
Conference  of  American  Rabbis  was  organized  by 
thirty  rabbis.  A  committee  of  five  reported  the 
following  plan  of  organization:  There  were  to  be 
five  officers,  president,  vice-president,  correspond- 
ing and  recording  secretaries,  and  a  treasurer;  the 
proceedings  of  the  Modern  Rabbinical  Conferences 
from  that  held  in  Brunswick  in  1844  should  be 
taken  as  a  basis;  any  rabbi  holding  office  in  any 
Hebrew  congregation,  and  any  one  who  has  held 

'  Wise  was  president  of  that  conference. 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis   339 

such  an  office,  and  all  graduates  of  an  acknowl- 
edged rabbinical  seminary  or  college,  are  eligible 
to  membership.  Likewise  all  doctors  of  philo- 
sophy or  psychology  that  possess  the  rabbinical 
diploma  from  a  competent  seminary,  preachers 
and  teachers  of  religion  who  have  been  for  at 
least  three  successive  years  discharging  those 
duties  in  any  one  congregation,  all  authors  of 
eminent  books  on  any  subject  appertaining  to 
Jewish  theology  or  literature,  all  such  men  who 
have  rendered  important  practical  services  to  the 
cause  of  Judaism.  The  purposes  of  the  associa- 
tion were:  (i)  To  maintain  and  perpetuate  a 
union  of  all  American  rabbis;  (2)  To  publish  a 
year-book  of  its  proceedings;  (3)  To  establish 
a  fund  for  the  support  of  superannuated  rabbis. 

Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  Adler,  Rabbi  Emeritus  of 
Temple  Emanuel,  the  only  surviving  member  in 
America  of  any  of  the  European  rabbinical  con- 
ferences held  after  1844,  was  elected  honorary 
president,  and,  "in  spite  of  his  strenuous  protests, 
the  unanimous  sentiments  were  in  favour  of  Dr. 
Isaac  M.  Wise,  of  Cincinnati,  as  president,"  and 
he  was  chosen,  and  during  the  remaining  eleven 
years  of  his  life  he  held  this  important  office. 

The  conference  published  annually  a  year-book 
of  its  proceedings,  and  the  splendid  work  of  that 


340  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

body  is  today  a  valuable  contribution  to  the 
history  of  American  Judaism  and  Jewish  learning. 
The  most  important  work  of  the  conference  during 
Wise's  presidency  was  the  preparation  and  the 
publishing  in  1894  of  a  union  prayer-book,  and  the 
papers  on  Judaism  read  at  the  World's  Parliament 
of  Religions,  held  during  the  Columbian  Exposi- 
tion, at  Chicago,  in  August,  1893. 

Annually  on  the  assembling  of  the  conference, 
Wise  delivered  his  presidential  message.  In  his 
first  address,  delivered  in  Cleveland,  in  the  summer 
of  1890,^  he  reviews  the  previous  efforts  for  a 
conference  in  this  country,  and  points  out  the 
cause  of  failure.  The  causes  of  disunion  were :  the 
spread  of  reform  in  the  synagogue;  the  different 
prayer-books  in  use,  and  the  different  schools  and 
localities  whence  the  many  rabbis  came.  In  the 
course  of  his  address,  he  said:  "But  the  union  and 
the  college  remained  the  rock  of  peace  and  solid- 
arity in  American  Israel,  the  beacon  light  of 
American  Judaism.  And  here  are  ninety  rabbis 
peaceably  and  hopefully  united  to  be  now  and 
forever  the  nucleus,  the  centre  of  gravity,  to  all 
colleagues  who  are  desirous  to  work  in  the  name  of 
God  for  the  house  of  Israel,  and  the  sublime 
cause  of  humanity.    .    .    . 

'  Year  Book,  C.  C.  A.  R.,  1890. 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis  341 

"It  is  undoubtedly  the  duty  and  the  right  of  the 
united  rabbis  to  protect  Judaism  against  stagna- 
tion, and  each  individual  rabbi  against  the  attacks 
frequently  made  upon  everyone  who  proposes  any 
reform  measure.  Let  the  attack  hereafter  be 
made  on  the  conference,  and  let  the  honour  of  the 
individual  be  preserved  intact.  All  reforms  ought 
to  go  into  practice  on  the  authority  of  the  con- 
ference, not  only  to  protect  the  individual  rabbi, 
but  to  protect  Judaism  against  presumptuous 
innovations  and  the  precipitations  of  rash  and 
inconsiderate  men.  The  united  rabbis  of  America 
have  undoubtedly  the  right  and  the  duty  to  pro- 
duce a  uniform  form  of  worship  for  all  houses  of 
worship.  .  .  .  All  work  done  must  correspond 
to  the  principle  that  Judaism  is  a  universal  re- 
ligion and  must  contain  nothing  contrary  to  it." 

At  the  World's  Parliament  of  Religions,  Wise 
read  two  profound  papers,  "An  Introduction  to 
the  Theology  of  Judaism,"  and  "  The  Ethics  of 
Judaism."  He  considered  it  a  great  honour  to  be 
chosen  by  the  Central  Conference  of  American 
Rabbis  to  present  such  important  matters. 

In  one  of  the  few  letters  written  by  him  that 
have  been  preserved,  he  writes  of  these  addresses. 
The  correspondent  is  the  late  Mr.  William  Stix,  of 
St.  Louis,  formerly  of  Cincinnati,  a  lifelong  friend : 


342  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Cincinnati,  Sept.  22,  1893. 

My  dear  Friend  Wm.  Stix: 

I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  kind  congratula- 
tions on  my  second  speech  (The  Ethics  of  Judaism) 
delivered  before  the  Parliament  of  Religious  in 
Chicago.  You  are  the  only  man  outside  of  the  hall 
where  it  was  delivered,  that  did  send  me  kind  words 
of  recognition. 

According  to  the  official  critics  in  Chicago,  my  first 
speech  in  the  Parliament  on  the  Theology  of  Judaism 
was  my  masterwork,  but  I  could  not  publish  it  in  full; 
it  is  too  long  and  too  abstruse.  It  will  appear  in  full 
in  the  book  in  which  all  will  be  collected  in  one 
voliune.  ^ 

However,  I  do  not  glory  in  any  of  my  literary  pro- 
ductions, nor  am  I  greedy  for  applause,  although  like 
others  I  am  glad  to  hear  a  pleasant  word  from  my 
friends  and  do  highly  value  your  kind  letter.  What 
I  do  glory  in  and  consider  the  most  triumphant  mo- 
ment of  my  life  is,  that  I  could  and  did  proclaim  the 
God  of  Israel  and  His  ethical  law  in  that  august 
assembly,  before  the  eyes  of  the  world's  scholarship, 
and  I  did  do  it  intensely  Jewish,  without  reference  to 
any  other  creed,  belief,  or  literature,  simply  our  own 
from  our  own  sources;  and  have  thus  published  to  the 
world  boldly  and  fully  the  sap,  flower,  and  fruit  of 
Judaism,  and  yet  commanded  the  respect  of  the 
assembled  representatives  of  all  religions.  This  is  the 
great  triumph  in  which  I  glory,  for  which  I  praise 


'  Judaism  at  the  World's  Parliament  of  Religions,  U.  A.  II.  C, 
Cincinnati,  1894. 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis  343 

the  Almighty,  that  He  has  preserved  me  to  celebrate 
that  most  gratifying  moment  of  my  life .... 

Yours,  as  ever, 

Isaac  M.  Wise. 

After  the  Milwaukee  meeting  of  the  conference, 
held  in  1896,  Wise  stated  in  his  annual  address  that 
the  conference  consisted  of  the  reformatory  element 
in  Judaism  only,  and  that  its  standpoint  was  his- 
torical Judaism,  that  is,  Judaism  of  all  ages,  and 
not  that  of  one  period,  place,  or  class  of  people.  In 
1897  the  conference  met  at  Montreal,  Canada,  and 
in  his  annual  address.  Dr.  Wise  discussed  the  ques- 
tion of  Zionism  which  was  then  being  agitated. 

Wise  had  always  been  opposed  to  Zionism — If 
Zionism  means  the  founding  of  a  national  state 
in  Palestine  and  the  return  of  the  Jews  to  that 
state.  He  was  too  intense  an  American  to  feel 
otherwise.  As  early  as  October  22,  1852,  in  an 
editorial  in  the  Asmonean^  of  that  date  on  the 
reading  of  the  Bible  in  the  public  schools,  he  said: 
"As  citizens  we  must  not  be  distinct  from  the  rest, 
in  religion  only  we  are  Jews,  in  all  other  respects 
we  are  American  citizens."  On  July  10,  1868,^ 
he  wrote:  "the  Israelite  has  almost  obliterated 
the  idea  of  a  personal  Messiah,  and  of  returning 
to  Jerusalem,  and  has  endeared  the  country  to  the 

'  Vol.  vi.,  No.  27.  '  Israelite,  vol.  xv.,  No.  i. 


344  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Israelite  as  his  home,  his  promised  land,  his  Jerusa- 
lem, in  which  the  God  of  his  fathers  delights." 

In  1869,  as  a  member  of  the  Philadelphia  con- 
ference, he  approved  of  its  declaration:  "The 
Messianic  Aim  of  Israel  is  not  the  Restoration  of 
the  Old  Jewish  State  under  a  Descendant  of  David 
Involving  a  Second  Separation  from  the  Nations  of 
the  Earth,  but  the  Union  of  All  Children  of  God 
in  the  Confession  of  the  Unity  of  God  so  as  to 
Realize  the  Unity  of  all  Rational  Creatures  and 
Their  Call  to  Moral  Sanctification." 

In  the  March  17,  1871,'  issue  of  the  Israelite, 
he  wrote:  "Outside  of  the  synagogue  we  are 
citizens  of  the  land  of  our  nativity  or  adoption  and 
need  not  perceptibly  differ  from  any  fellow-man. 
In  public  Hfe,  in  business,  in  culture,  in  all  worldly 
aspirations,  we  have  lost  our  identity,  and  very 
few  if  any  wish  to  restore  it.  In  the  synagogue,  in 
the  public  demonstration  of  our  religious  life  we 
must  preserve  our  identity,  we  must  bear  Israel's 
badge  of  honour  conferred  on  the  congregation  of 
Yeshurun  by  Moses  and  the  prophets  by  the  hands 
of  Providence  manifested  in  three  thousand  years 
of  history." 

On  the  question  of  purchasing  Palestine,^  he 

'  Vol.  xvii.,  No.  38. 

*  Ibid.,  xxxii.,  N.  S.,  No.  24,  January,  1879. 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis   345 

said:  "Lay  aside  all  these  considerations  and  ask 
the  question,  if  Palestine  should  be  purchased, 
who  is  to  go  there?  The  American  Jew  is  an 
American  to  all  intents  and  purposes.  So  is  the 
English  Jew  an  Englishman,  French  Jew  a  French- 
man, and  the  same  is  the  case  in  Germany,  Hun- 
gary, Italy,  and  also  in  Russia,  although  they  are 
oppressed,  yet  they  are  intensely  Russian.  It  may 
be  put  down  as  a  fact,  American  and  European 
Jews  would  not  immigrate  to  Palestine,  not  even 
if  the  Messiah  himself,  riding  upon  that  identical 
ass  upon  which  Abraham  and  Moses  rode,  would 
come  and  invite  them.  Those  who  pray  for  their 
returning  to  Palestine  do  not  mean  it.  .  .  .  If 
one  believes  the  Jews  would  go  to  Palestine  if  that 
country  were  purchased  by  the  Jewish  capitalists 
and  made  a  quasi- Jewish  country,  he  is  gravely 
mistaken.  The  Jew's  nationality  is  endemic;  it  is 
not  conditioned  by  space,  land,  or  water.  .  .  . 
The  Jew's  Jewish  nationality  had  been  for  centu- 
ries before  this  event  [destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
70  A.D.]  independent  of  every  soil;  it  has  been 
and  now  is  in  his  blood,  in  the  purity  of  his  race,  in 
his  beliefs,  in  his  mode  of  thinking  and  feeling, 
it  is  all  intellectual  and  moral  without  any  refer- 
ence to  soil,  climate,  or  any  other  circumstances. 
The  Jewish  nationality  and  his  attachment  to  it 


34<^  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

has  been  made  portable;  he  carries  it  along  with 
him  wherever  he  goes,  unites  it  with  the  country 
of  his  choice,  and  if  he  is  a  good  man  he  is  patriotic 
as  a  citizen  no  less  than  as  a  Jew.  The  one  sup- 
ports the  other.  He  does  not  feel  the  least 
necessity  of  returning  to  Palestine  if  the  country 
in  which  he  Hves  suits  his  tastes  and  interests. 

"This  is  a  point  which  many  of  our  Gentile 
neighbours  do  not  seem  to  understand.  The 
Jew  has  no  king  and  no  country,  they  say ;  that  is  a 
punishment  to  him  because  he  has  done  this  or 
that,  or  because  he  does  not  believe  this  or  that. 
Has  the  Jew,  Isaac  Moses,  less  a  country  than  the 
Gentile  John  Peter?  Does  France  belong  more  to 
Pierre  than  to  Moise?  What  a  horrible  piece  of 
nonsense!  Are  the  Catholics  or  Methodists  less 
scattered  than  the  Jews?  Is  any  race  in  the 
world  in  possession  of  any  country?  Now,  we  say 
the  Methodists  have  no  king  and  no  country. 
They  are  scattered  all  over  this  continent,  England, 
and  a  large  portion  of  the  Eastern  continent. 
They  will  surely  purchase  Utah  and  Wyoming  and 
live  there.  .  .  .  Perhaps  these  Jewish  capital- 
ists who  will  buy  Palestine  will  also  obtain  decrees 
or  enactments  of  various  governments  to  force 
Jews  to  immigrate.  ...  But  will  not  religious 
belief  do  it?     And  it  is  well  known  that  religious 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis  347 

belief  works  miracles.  Do  you  not  believe  the 
Bible,  and  does  not  that  book  predict  the  return 
of  the  Jews  to  Palestine?  As  regards  miracles,  of 
course  we  have  nothing  to  say,  except  that  in  our 
humble  opinion,  from  and  after  the  year  1879 
no  miracles  will  be  wrought.  Sober  people  expect 
none,  and  the  Jew  is  a  very  sober  man.  What- 
ever the  beHef  of  the  Jew  may  be  in  regard  to 
Palestine  and  the  Messiah,  it  will  hardly  have  any 
more  influence  on  them  practically  than  the  second 
advent  belief  has  on  Christians,  or  fatalism  has  on 
the  Turkish  merchant  who  purchases  goods  in 
Vienna  or  Leipsic  for  his  house  in  Constantinople. " 
In  1889  he  was  asked  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  H.  Pereira 
Ivlendes,  a  leading  orthodox  rabbi  of  New  York, 
to  take  part  on  behalf  of  the  Jews  in  a  special 
celebration  of  Columbus  Day.  He  pubHshed  his 
reasons  for  declining  to  do  so  in  the  Israelite  of 
June  27,  1889':  "We  are  Jews  in  reHgion  and 
religion  only  and  exclusively.  In  all  other  re- 
spects we  are  members  of  the  human  family  and 
in  every  country  citizens  and  an  integral  portion 
of  that  country's  population,  sharing  equally  with 
its  interests,  ideals,  rights,  and  obligations.  .  .  . 
We  can  not  and  do  not  admit  that  we  are  any- 
where a  distinct  element  from  the  rest  of  the  popu- 

'  Vol.  XXXV.,  No.  52, 


34^  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

lation,  any  more  than  the  Methodists,  Baptists, 
Catholics,  Presbyterians,  Episcopahans,  and  Dis- 
senters. We  can  not  and  will  not  make  any  Jewish 
demonstration  in  memory  of  an  event  which  belongs 
to  the  history  of  manldnd.  We  can  not  and  will 
not  single  ourselves  out  as  a  special  political  com- 
munity and  erect  for  ourselves  a  modern  Ghetto. " 

In  his  presidential  address  at  Montreal,  July 
8,  1897,  he  said^: 

"  I  consider  it  my  duty  also.  Rev.  Colleagues,  to 
call  your  attention  to  the  political  projects  en- 
gaging now  a  considerable  portion  of  our  co- 
religionists in  Europe  and  also  in  our  country, 
especially  in  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Chicago, 
and  other  large  cities.  I  refer,  of  course,  to  the 
so-called  'Friends  of  Zion,'  Chovaveh  Zion,  who 
revive  among  certain  classes  of  people  the  political 
national  sentiment  of  olden  times,  and  turn  the 
mission  of  Israel  from  the  province  of  religion  and 
humanity  to  the  narrow  political  and  national 
field,  where  Judaism  loses  its  universal  and  sancti- 
fied ground  and  its  historical  signification.  The  per- 
secution of  the  Jews  in  Russia  and  Roumania  and 
the  anti-Semitic  hatred  against  the  Jewish  race 
and  religion,  as  it  still  exists  in  Germany,  Austria, 
and  partly  in    France,    roused  among  the  perse- 

'  1897,  Year  Book,  C.  C.  A.  R.;  Israelite,  vol.  xliv.,  No.  2. 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis  349 

cuted  and  outraged  persons  the  hapless  feeling  of 
being  hated  strangers  among  hostile  Gentiles.  It 
was  quite  natural  that  this  humiliating  experience 
roused  in  their  memory  the  glory  of  the  past,  when 
Israel  was  the  great  nation,  the  chosen  people  of 
God,  and  inspired  in  them  the  consolation,  'We  are 
a  great  nation  yet. '  So  the  wronged  man  revenges 
himself  on  his  oppressors  generally  with  the  pre- 
tence: I  am  as  good  and  better  than  you.  Gen- 
erally speaking  it  is  true,  the  persecuted  is  always 
better  than  his  persecutors.  This  experience 
roused  in  those  outraged  men  and  women  the 
old  hope  of  restoration,  the  reconstruction  of  the 
Hebrew  nationality,  as  in  days  of  yore.  The  first 
step  in  this  direction  was  the  colonization  of 
Palestine  with  Jewish  agriculturists.  This,  of 
course,  found  favour  and  support  among  aU  good 
people,  not  indeed  for  the  sake  of  Zion,  but  for  the 
redemption  of  the  persecuted  and  with  the  con- 
viction that  those  poor  neglected  families  can  be 
redeemed  morally  and  physically  only  by  making 
of  them  honest  and  industrious  tillers  of  the  soil. 
Idealists  and  religious  phantasts  took  hold  upon 
this  situation  and  made  of  it  a  general  restoration 
of  the  Jews,  and  their  returning  to  the  Holy  Land, 
although  the  greatest  number  of  Jewish  citizens 
in  the  countries  where  they  enjoy  all  civil  and 


352  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

The  conference  referred  this  part  of  the  presi- 
dential address  to  a  committee  consisting  of 
Rev.  Drs.  Landsberg,  Mielziner,  and  Samfield,  who 
recommended  the  following  report,  which  was 
unanimously  adopted: 

"Resolved,  That  we  totally  disapprove  of  any 
attempt  for  the  establishment  of  a  Jewish  State. 
Such  attempts  show  a  misunderstanding  of 
Israel's  mission,  which  from  the  narrow  political 
and  national  field  has  been  extended  to  the  pro- 
motion among  the  whole  human  race  of  the  broad 
and  universalistic  religion  first  proclaimed  by  Is- 
rael's prophets.  Such  attempts  do  not  benefit,  but 
infinitely  harm  our  Jewish  brethren  where  they  are 
still  persecuted,  by  confirming  the  assertion  of  their 
enemies  that  the  Jews  are  foreigners  in  the  coun- 
tries in  which  they  are  at  home,  and  of  which  they 
are  everywhere  the  most  loyal  and  patriotic  citizens. 

"We  reaffirm  that  the  object  of  Judaism  is  not 
political  nor  national,  but  spiritual,  and  addresses 
itself  to  the  continuous  growth  of  peace,  justice, 
and  love  in  the  human  race,  to  a  Messianic  time 
when  all  men  will  recognize  that  they  form  one 
great  brotherhood  for  the  establishment  of  God's 
kingdom  on  earth. " 

In  the  Israelite  of  September  1 6,  1897,^  there  is 

'  Vol.  xliv.,  No.  12. 


Conference  of  American  Rabbis  353 

reprinted  from  the  New  York  Times  an  article  by- 
Wise  entitled,  "A  Jewish  State  Impossible,"  in 
which  he  sets  forth  at  length  his  views  on  Zionism 
and  which  he  concludes  as  follows: 

"Everything  is  possible  in  dreamland  or  in 
Utopia.  That  Congress  in  Basle  was  a  novelty, 
a  gathering  of  visionary  and  impracticable  dream- 
ers who  conceived  and  acted  as  a  romantic  drama, 
and  applauded  it  all  by  themselves." 

A  special  session  of  the  conference  was  held  at 
Cincinnati,  on  March  13,  1899,  to  celebrate  the 
eightieth  birthday  of  its  founder,  and  it  was  at  this 
conference  that  he  delivered  his  last  presidential 
address,  in  the  course  of  which  he  said:  "By  this 
God-blessed  organization,  the  American  rabbis 
were  united  in  a  bond  of  brotherhood,  all  feuds, 
strifes,  quarrels,  and  animosities  which  raged 
among  us  for  many  years  vanished  like  the  fog 
before  the  sun."' 

Memorial  addresses  in  honour  of  the  founder 
were  delivered  at  the  Buffalo  meeting  of  the 
conference  held  in  July,  1900,  and  as  a  further 
mark  of  respect,  the  following  resolution  was 
adopted : 

"We  recommend  that  the  name  of  the  Rev. 
Isaac     M.     Wise     be    perpetually     retained     at 

'  1899,  Year  Book,  C.  C.  A.  R.,  p.  28. 
23 


354  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the  head  of  the  list  of  members  of  the  Cen- 
tral Conference  of  American  Rabbis  on  a  sepa- 
rate page  of  each  Year  Book  in  the  following 
form: 

"ISAAC  MAYER  WISE 
Founder  of 

CENTRAL    CONFERENCE    OF    AMERICAN    RABBIS 

President  1889-1900." 

Like  the  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Congrega- 
tions, and  the  Hebrew  Union  College,  the  Central 
Conference  of  American  Rabbis  survived  the  death 
of  its  great  founder,  because  this  structure,  like  aU 
his  work,  was  laid  upon  broad  and  deep  founda- 
tions. Today  the  conference  has  a  membership 
of  240,  has  issued  a  revision  of  its  prayer-book 
and  has  a  fund  of  $37,500  for  the  benefit  of  the 
superannuated  rabbis. 


CHAPTER  XV 

PERSONAL    ACTIVITIES    AND    CHARACTERISTICS 

Isaac  Mayer  Wise  was  intensely  human. 
Although  he  was  constantly  engaged  in  espousing 
the  cause  of  Judaism,  in  endeavouring  to  found 
organizations  to  carry  out  his  ideas  of  reform,  he 
did  not  neglect  the  brighter  and  lighter  side  of 
life  and  affairs.  While  at  Albany  he  had  organ- 
ized a  German  literary  society.  His  tastes  were 
artistic  and  aesthetic.  A  lover  of  music,  poetry, 
and  art,  a  reader  of  the  best  writers  of  English 
and  German,  a  delightful  and  charming  compan- 
ion, of  exceptional  ability  in  conversation  and 
anecdote,  sparkling  with  wit  and  mellow  with 
humour,  his  presence  was  much  in  demand  and 
he  found  it  impossible  to  accept  the  many  invita- 
tions that  came  to  him. 

In  his  official  capacity,  he  performed  countless 
marriage  ceremonies,  and  in  early  years  it  was 
customary  to  celebrate  such  functions  elaborately. 
His  democratic  ways  endeared  him  to  rich  and 

355 


35^  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

poor  alike,  and  in  his  character  there  was  no  trace 
of  the  sycophant. 

As  a  teacher  of  the  young  and  middle-aged 
he  succeeded  by  strength  of  character  and  the 
personal  touch  rather  than  by  discipline.  As  a 
disciplinarian  he  was  not  a  success.  There  is  in 
the  archives  of  the  Albany  congregation  a  letter 
dated  March  15,  1852,  tendering  his  resignation. 
It  contains  many  naive  statements  throwing  side- 
lights on  his  personality.  The  letter  is  in  German. 
A  free  translation  of  the  important  paragraphs  is  as 
follows : 

"Owing  to  conditions,  regarding  which  I  shall 
give  proper  explanations,  I  am  compelled  to  in- 
form you  that  it  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  con- 
tinue both  as  a  teacher  and  rabbi,  and  if  I  give  up 
teaching  my  salary  as  rabbi  will  not  be  sufficient 
for  my  living  expenses. 

"The  principal  cause  of  my  resigning  as  teacher 
is  the  behaviour  of  the  pupils.  To  keep  order  I 
am  obliged  to  arm  myself  with  a  cane  and  punish 
the  unmanageable  crowd.  Such  a  state  of  affairs 
is  most  distressing  to  me,  and  by  no  means  in 
harmony  with  my  character  and  my  sentiments. 
Because  of  the  unbecoming  conduct  of  some  of  the 
pupils,  I  frequently  leave  the  schoolroom  a  sick 
man.     Aside  from  this,  it  is  impossible  for  a  man 


Personal  Characteristics  357 

who,  during  the  week,  wages  battles  with  a  crowd 
of  ill-behaved  children,  to  conduct  three  services 
on  the  Sabbath.    .    .    .  " 

Evidently  the  parents  of  the  children  disciplined 
them,  for  the  resignation  was  withdrawn. 

During  Wise's  long  life  he  dedicated  nearly 
seventy-five  synagogues  and  temples,  besides 
laying  the  corner-stones  of  many  others,  and 
inducting  many  rabbis  into  office. 

In  Die  Deborah  of  December  22,  1892,  ^  he  writes: 
"How  many  synagogues  have  we  dedicated?" 
To  satisfy  the  curious  writer  he  says  he  officiated 
sixty-five  times  at  dedications.  "  In  New  England 
four  times.  New  Haven,  Boston,  Hartford,  Provi- 
dence; in  New  York  State  ten  times.  New  York 
City  four  times,  Albany  and  Buffalo  twice  each, 
Syracuse  and  Hudson;  in  Pennsylvania  seven 
times,  Philadelphia  twice,  Titusville,  Scranton, 
Easton,  Reading,  and  Pottsville  once  each.  At 
Baltimore,  Md.,  Richmond  and  Petersburg,  Vir- 
ginia, Charleston  and  Huntington,  West  Virginia, 
Augusta  and  Brunswick,  Georgia,  Natchez,  Mis- 
sissippi, Cincinnati  four  times,  Cleveland  twice, 
Dayton  twice,  Kent,  Portsmouth,  Columbus, 
Toledo,  and  Hamilton.  At  Indianapolis,  Fort 
Wayne,     Evansville,     Terre     Haute,     Lafayette, 

'  Vol.  xxxviii.,  No.  25. 


358  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Ligonier,  and  Madison.  At  Chicago  twice,  Quincy 
and  Peoria;  Detroit  and  Jackson,  Michigan,  twice 
at  St.  Louis  and  once  at  Kansas  City.  At  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  and  twice  at  Memphis,  once  each 
at  Nashville  and  Chattanooga." 

Between  1892  and  1900  he  dedicated  temples 
in  the  following  cities:  Dayton,  Ohio;  Chattanooga, 
Tennessee;  Cleveland,  Ohio;  Peoria,  Illinois;  Chi- 
cago three  times,  and  Indianapolis. 

The  Jewish  Orphan  Asylum,  at  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
was  founded  at  Wise's  suggestion.  In  his  initial 
call  for  a  union  of  Israelites,  in  1848,  he  had  pointed 
out  the  necessity  for  caring  for  the  widow  and  the 
orphan.  In  the  Israelite  of  December  6,  1859,^ 
he  wrote:  "The  West  must  have  a  home  for 
widows  and  orphans,  this  is  indisputable,  for  the 
number  of  helpless  widows  and  orphans  which  must 
be  supported  by  the  congregations  is  considerable 
already.  We  must  imitate  the  noble  example  of 
New  Orleans.  The  home  of  New  Orleans  is  for  the 
South;  in  Philadelphia  we  expect  the  Foster  Home 
Society  will  gradually  succeed  in  creating  a  home 
in  the  East.  The  Bene  B'rith  Society  has  the 
same  object  in  view  for  their  people  in  New  York, 
but  the  West  must  have  such  an  asylum  as  soon 
as  possible,  and  must  have  a  large  establishment, 

» Vol.  vi.,  No.  24. 


Personal  Characteristics  359 

for  the  West  is  large."  He  then  urges  the  mem- 
bers of  various  congregations  to  organize  societies 
with  a  membership  fee  of  fifty  dollars.  This  he 
believes  will  secure  fifty  thousand  dollars.  A 
thousand  additional  members  could  contribute 
less.  "Besides  the  above  resources,  we  reckon 
upon  two  more.  The  Bene  B'rith  lodges  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  Grand  Lodge  No.  2  will  cer- 
tainly feel  it  their  duty  to  countenance  and  support 
this  enterprise,  it  being  one  of  their  sworn  duties, 
a  principal  corner-stone  of  their  superstructure. 
.  .  .  We  expect  our  friends  here  or  abroad  to 
furnish  a  practicable  plan  to  carry  out  this  pur- 
pose. "  He  then  urges  the  organization  of  societies 
with  a  different  scale  of  membership  fee.  "The 
first  thing  is  to  agitate  the  matter  everywhere, 
form  societies  to  co-operate  with  other  societies 
so  that  the  plan  may  be  carried  out.  We  hope 
not  to  appeal  in  vain  to  our  brethren.  Let 
those  who  exercise  the  influence  take  this  matter  in 
hand ....  The  columns  of  our  paper  are  open 
to  discuss  the  matter  thoroughly. " 

Shortly  thereafter  the  suggestions  made  by  him 
were  carried  out,  and  with  the  assistance  of  Bene 
B'rith  lodges  of  District  No.  2,  comprising  the 
States  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Kentucky,  Illinois,  Mis- 
souri, Tennessee,  Alabama,  Mississippi,  Michigan, 


360  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

and  Wisconsin.  A  Jewish  Orphan  Asylum  was 
established  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  Wise  officiated 
at  its  opening  in  1868.  When,  however,  the  new 
buildings  were  dedicated  in  July,  1888,  he  refused 
to  attend,  because  some  of  the  members  of  the 
board  of  directors  had  spoken  without  rebuke 
against  rabbis.  ^ 

Wise  was  a  charter  member  of  many  benevolent 
organizations,  lodges,  and  orders,  and  was  fre- 
quently called  upon  to  address  them.  In  his 
Reminiscences,''  after  describing  the  organization 
of  two  Bene  B'rith  lodges  in  Cincinnati,  he  writes: 
"My  neighbours  and  friends,  B.  and  M.  Simon, 
persuaded  me  to  join  the  Odd  Fellows,  for  a  new 
lodge,  the  Northwestern,  was  forming  just  then. 
I  joined  this  lodge,  but  did  not  take  any  especially 
active  part  in  the  doings  of  the  order.  Another 
friend,  M.  J.  Mack,  was  instrumental  in  having 
me  join  the  Masons  (Hanzelman  Lodge).  I  began 
to  build  and  do  Mason's  work.  [He  afterwards 
received  the  32nd  degree.]  Later  I  joined  the 
Druids,  Hargurai,  and  I  know  not  what  other 
lodges;  so,  finally,  I  was  initiated  into  so  many 
secrets  that  my  head  fairly  whirled  with  them  all. 
The  fact  is  that  I  learned  nothing  whatsoever  from 
all  these  secrets;  for  there  is  nothing  to  them. 

I  Israelite,  xxxv..  No.  i.  '  Page  264. 


Personal  Characteristics  361 

That  which  Josephus  Flavlus  once  remarked  to 
Apion,  'The  children  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem 
use  as  playthings  those  things  which  your  priests 
impart  so  secretly  in  your  mysteries  to  the  in- 
itiated, '  may  be  aptly  said  of  the  secrets  of  all  the 
secret  orders.  They  do  not  amount  to  anything. 
Dull  mechanism,  symbolic  trifling,  and  stiff  routine, 
these  are  the  chief  features.  The  doctrines  and 
instructions  are  very  good  and  sensible,  but  as  a 
general  thing  they  are  neither  understood  nor 
practised.  Two  reasons,  however,  induced  me  to 
continue  my  allegiance  to  the  lodges,  viz.,  their 
charity  and  the  cosmo-political  principle  upon 
which  they  were  based.  Other  things  kept  alive 
my  interest  in  the  Bene  B'rith.  Of  these  (and 
for  a  union,  college,  and  orphan  asylum)  I  will 
speak  later,  although  I  can  think  of  no  single 
public  act  of  injustice  of  which  I  have  been  the 
victim,  that  was  not  inspired  by  Bene  B'rith 
brethren  and  leaders." 

Wise  also  became  a  member  of  the  German 
Pioneer  Society  of  Cincinnati,  and  for  many  years 
was  the  orator  at  its  annual  meeting,  usually 
held  on  the  night  of  Washington's  birthday,  at 
which  he  always  delivered  a  patriotic  address 
expressing  to  the  fullest  extent  the  most  liberal 
views  on  all  questions  of  the  day. 


362  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Wise  was  temperate  in  his  habits  and  he  saw 
no  harm  in  moderate  drinking.  He  was  unalter- 
ably opposed  to  sumptuary  legislation  of  any 
kind.  In  1 872-1 873,  during  the  temperance  cru- 
sade in  Cincinnati,  when  emotional  women  knelt 
in  prayer  at  street  corners,  he  did  not  hesitate  to 
preach  boldly  against  them  and  their  cause.  He  pre- 
pared an  "Essay  on  The  Temperance  Question," 
which  he  read  before  a  liberal  society  called  "The 
Friends  of  Inquiry."  In  this  essay,  a  copy  of 
which  is  in  the  Public  Library  of  Cincinnati,  he 
says:  "Is  it  morally  wrong  to  take  a  glass  of  beer, 
wine,  or  champagne  at  dinner  or  at  an}^  other 
time?  Or  is  it  hypocrisy  for  hypocrisy's  sake 
that  persons  using  such  beverages  do  it  secretly 
as  long  as  they  can  hide  the  fact?  Let  us  see  first 
what  might  be  called  morally]  wrong.  Tvlorally 
wrong  is  that  which  the  intelligence  by  common 
consent  calls  so;  or,  as  our  religious  friends  main- 
tain, which  the  Bible  characterizes  as  such.  .  .  . 

"Here  I  wanted  to  establish  this: 

"I.  The  use  of  wine  or  strong  drink  as  a  bever- 
age is  no  moral  wrong,  nor  can  it  properly  be  called 
a  waste  of  property : 

"II.  Whatever  is  not  wrong  to  one  class  of  our 
people  can  not  be  made  so  to  any  other  in  a 
democratic  country. 


Personal  Characteristics  363 

"III.  The  abuse  of  anything  not  criminal  or 
immoral,  per  se,  does  not  justify  the  abolition  or 
prohibition  thereof. 

"IV.  Penal  or  prohibitory  laws  against  acts 
or  usages  not  criminal  or  immoral  in  themselves 
defeat  the  very  end  and  object  of  all  law. 

"  V.  The  abuse  of  religion  and  prayer  is  worse 
than  the  abuse  of  liquor. 

"VI.  The  present  crusade  will  not  remedy  the 
evil ;  it  is  contrary  to  law  and  liberty,  and  it  makes 
us  ridiculous  in  the  eyes  of  the  civilized  world. 

"The  decree  of  King  Ahasuerus,  the  ruler  of 
Medo-Persia,  reads:  'That  every  man  be  ruler  in 
his  house,  and  speak  according  to  the  tongue  of  his 
people.'"  . 

Wise  believed  in  the  equality  of  men  and 
women,  ^  and  he  was  the  first  to  introduce  family 
pews  in  the  American  synagogue  so  that  men  and 
women  could  worship  together.  Heretofore  wo- 
men had  been  excluded  from  the  synagogue  proper 
and  compelled  to  sit  in  a  gallery  set  apart  from 
the  men,  or  in  another  part  of  the  synagogue  if 
there  was  no  gallery.  In  Albany,  even  before  the 
introduction  of  family  pews,  in  1851,  he  had  or- 
ganized a  choir  of  men  and  women,  also  an  inno- 
vation, and  confirmed  boys  and  girls.     Later  he 

'  See  supra,  p.  149. 


364  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

/■" 

suggested  that  women  should  be  eligible  as  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation.  In  1876'  he  wrote  a 
/  strong  article  on  this  question,  in  the  course  of 
which,  he  states:  "In  the  Bible  woman  stands 
very  high.  At  the  beginning  of  Israel's  natural 
life,  woman  appears  as  a  leader  so  that  she  could 
say:  'Did  God  perhaps  speak  through  Moses 
only;  did  he  not  also  speak  through  us?'  .  .  . 
During  the  rude  period  of  the  Judges,  the  Bible 
mentions  five  women  of  exceptional  calibre .... 
None  of  the  rabbinical  provisions  as  to  law  and 
practice  affected  the  high  regard  for  woman;  she 
always  remained  the  queen  of  the  heart  and  home. 
But  up  to  1000  A.  c.  all  Jewish  laws  and  customs 
adopted  in  Europe  were  Oriental  in  origin.  The 
influence  of  Oriental  society  and  the  Koran  grad- 
ually excluded  women  from  public  affairs  of  the 
commimity,  so  that  up  to  our  very  day  she  was  as- 
signed to  a  subordinate  position  in  the  synagogue. 
To  call  a  woman  to  the  Thorah,  or  admit  her  to 
pubHc  honours  equally  with  men  would  have 
appeared  preposterous  and  would  today  be  con- 
sidered a  desecration  by  the  orthodox  synagogue. 

"In  the  early  days  of  our  activity  in  America, 
we  admitted  females  to  the  choir.  Then  we  con- 
firmed boys  and  girls,  and  we  allowed  girls  to  read 

'  Israelite,  vol.  xxvii.,  No.  10. 


Personal  Characteristics  365 

the  Thorah  on  that  occasion.  Later  on  we  intro- 
duced family  pews  into  the  temple. 

"With  the  admission  of  mothers  and  daughters 
to  a  recognized  place  in  public  worship  came  order 
and  decorum.  Abuses  that  had  crept  into  the 
synagogue  disappeared  as  soon  as  woman  again 
took  her  proper  place  in  the  temple.  But  we  can 
not  stop  here;  the  reform  is  not  complete.  You 
must  enfranchise  woman  in  j^our  congregations, 
she  must  be  a  member,  must  have  a  voice  and  a 
vote  in  your  assemblies.  We  need  women  in  the 
congregational  meetings  to  bring  heart  and  piety 
into  them.  We  must  have  women  in  the  boards 
for  the  sake  of  the  principle.  We  must  have 
women  in  the  school  boards,  to  visit  the  Sabbath 
schools,  and  to  make  their  influence  felt.  We 
must  have  women  in  the  choir  committee  because 
they  understand  music  better  than  men.  But, 
all  other  considerations  aside,  the  principles  of  jus- 
tice and  the  law  of  God  inherent  in  every  human 
being,  demand  that  woman  be  admitted  to  mem- 
bership in  the  congregation  and  be  given  equal 
rights  with  man,  that  her  religious  feelings  be 
allowed  scope  for  the  sacred  cause  of  Israel. 

"We  are  ready  to  appear  before  any  congrega- 
tion in  behalf  of  any  woman  wishing  to  become  a 
member  thereof,  and  to  plead  her  cause.     We  will 


366  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

debate  the  question  with  any  who  will  show  us  in 
what  manner  woman  is  less  entitled  to  the  privi- 
leges of  the  synagogue  than  man,  or  where  her 
faith  is  less  important  to  her  salvation  than  man's 
is  to  him.  Till  then  we  maintain  that  women 
must  become  active  members  of  the  congregation 
for  their  own  sake  and  for  the  benefit  of  Israel's 
cause." 

Today  women  are  eligible  for  membership  in 
every  reform  congregation  and  form  the  larger 
part  of  the  congregation  at  divine  service,  and 
women  also  represent  congregations  at  the  con- 
ventions of  the  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Con- 
gregations. 

Within  the  past  few  years  there  have  been  or- 
ganized, at  the  suggestion  of  Rabbi  George  Zepin, 
Director  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  Synagogue 
and  School  Extension  of  the  Union,  Sisterhoods  in 
nearly  all  the  congregations,  and  these  have  formed 
a  National  Federation  of  Temple  Sisterhoods  that 
meets  at  the  same  time  and  place  the  Union  meets. 
These  Sisterhoods  solicit  scholarships  for  the  He- 
brew Union  College,  and  in  191 6  twelve  scholar- 
ships of  5^300  each  were  secured. 

Wise,  fond  as  he  was  of  organization  for  various 
purposes,  had  little  sympathy  with  "organized 
charity."     His    charitable    nature,    his    implicit 


Personal  Characteristics  367 

confidence  in  every  seeker  for  alms,  his  blind  faith 
in  every  poor  man  or  woman,  made  him  intolerant 
of  the  methods  of  organized  charity.  If  a  man 
came  to  Dr.  Wise  and  asked  for  money,  clothes, 
food,  lodging,  or  any  other  assistance,  he  received 
it  and  no  questions  were  asked.  If  he  were  told 
the  applicant  was  an  impostor,  he  shrugged  his 
shoulders  or  met  the  complaint  with  some  apt 
biblical  or  Talmudical  quotation.  Many  anec- 
dotes are  told  of  his  charity  and  kindness.  How 
he  bought  a  new  overcoat  one  winter's  day  and 
came  home  without  it,  having  given  it  to  some 
poor  unfortunate  whom  he  met  on  the  way.  No 
one  in  want  ever  left  his  door  empty  handed. 
His  charity  was  not  limited  to  small  alms.  He 
would  assist  unfortunate  rabbis,  unemployed  can- 
tors, and  discharged  teachers  to  earn  a  living 
by  engaging  in  business  or  peddling,  and  would 
endorse  their  notes  or  guarantee  their  accounts 
with  wholesale  merchants.  At  his  death  a  large 
amount  of  such  worthless  paper  which  he  had  been 
called  upon  to  pay,  was  found  by  his  executors. 

When  there  was  a  necessity  for  immediate  relief, 
he  acted  at  once.  On  one  Sabbath,  during  the 
early  days  of  the  great  Russian  immigration,  long 
before  the  days  of  organized  charity  in  Cincin- 
nati, just  as  Wise  was  about  to  preach  his  sermon, 


368  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

he  received  word  that  a  large  number  of  immi- 
grants had  arrived  at  one  of  the  depots  and  were 
stranded,  no  arrangements  having  been  made  for 
their  care.  None  present  at  the  temple  will  ever 
forget  the  sermon  of  that  day.  Roused  as  he  not 
often  had  been,  he  pleaded  the  cause  of  the  poor 
"unfortunate  ones,  and  denounced  the  lack  of  pre- 
paration on  the  part  of  the  community.  Sending 
for  his  old-fashioned  high  hat,  he  concluded  his 
address  by  emptying  his  pockets  and  his  purse  into 
it,  and  then  sent  it  through  the  temple.  A  large 
fund  was  immediately  raised. 

Wise  did  not  know  the  value  of  money  and  did 
not  care  for  money.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he 
was  undoubtedly  the  leading  rabbi  in  America,  and 
yet  his  salary  was  only  $6,000  per  annum,  much 
less  than  some  of  the  graduates  of  his  college.  It 
had  never  occurred  to  him  to  ask  for  an  increase. 
When  he  was  in  his  seventy-second  year,  he  was 
advised  to  make  his  will.  "I  have  nothing  to 
bequeath, "  he  said.  "The  world  will  laugh  at  me 
if  I  leave  a  will."  One  day  in  1894,  believing  his 
residence  too  small,  he  purchased  at  a  very  rea- 
sonable price  a  large  residence  near  the  college. 
When  asked  how  he  was  going  to  pay  for  it,  he 
laughed,  and  said,  "Why,  I  have  some  bonds,  and 
the  balance  I  will  borrow  from  the  building  associa- 


Personal  Characteristics  369 

tion,  and  thus  will  save  money."  His  hearer 
being  dubious  about  the  savings,  Wise  said,  "If 
I  put  a  mortgage  on  the  property,  I'll  be  compelled 
to  put  aside  a  certain  sum  weekly.  If  I  am  not 
compelled  to  do  so  the  money  will  go  for  other 
purposes.     I  must  make  provision  for  my  family." 

Unfortunately,  this  method  of  saving  was  not 
successful,  for  soon  after  his  death,  though  the 
mortgage  was  paid  off  in  his  lifetime,  the  property 
depreciated  just  one  half.  During  the  Civil  War, 
when  collections  for  the  Israelite  were  slow,  he 
would  publish  the  names  of  delinquent  subscribers 
and  the  amount  of  their  indebtedness  in  the  paper 
and  ask  for  remittances.  Needless  to  say,  very 
little  was  realized  by  this  unique  method  of  col- 
lection. 

Wise  was  not  only  kind  to  all  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact,  but  he  was  of  a  forgiving  nature, 
and  treated  his  detractors  and  religious  opponents 
most  magnanimously.  When  Isaac  Leeser,  who 
had  opposed  all  his  reforms,  died  in  1868,  Wise 
published  the  following  obituary  in  the  Israelite 
of  February  I4th^:  "He  was  an  active  labourer 
in  the  province  of  Jewish  literature,  a  zealous  ad- 
vocate and  expounder  of  Judaism,  untiring  in  his 
efforts  to  benefit  the  cause  of  Israel,  honest  and 

^  Vol.  xiv.,  No.  32. 
04 


370  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

consistent  to  the  last  day  of  his  life.  Thirty- 
years  ago  when  nobody  in  America  raised  his  voice 
in  behalf  of  Judaism,  the  silence  of  the  grave  raged 
within  the  congregation,  and  without  prejudices 
nourished  by  the  pulpit,  and  a  host  of  paid  mis- 
sionaries undermined  the  ancient  structure,  the 
young  German,  Isaac  Leeser,  began  his  minis- 
terial career  in  Richmond,  Virginia,  and  soon  after 
began  his  literary  labours,  and  for  thirty  years  he 
worked  continuously.  Among  the  American  Jew- 
ish journalists  he  was  the  pioneer  and  for  a  long 
time  he  stood  alone.  True  enough,  he  was  our 
lifelong  opponent,  or  rather  we  were  his,  for  he 
advocated  orthodoxy  and  conservatism  in  the 
synagogue  before  we  entered  life  with  our  ideas 
of  progress  and  reform;  it  is  no  less  true  that  we 
had  many  a  controversy  publicly  and  privately 
which  did  not  sound  very  friendly.  Nevertheless, 
we  never  became  so  estranged  to  each  other  that 
we  were  not  on  speaking  terms,  or  that  we  could 
not  meet  each  other  cordially  on  any  occasion, 
because  we  never  offered  each  other  personal  in- 
sult, nor  did  we  at  any  time  disrespect  each 
other." 

And  upon  the  death  of  Rabbi  David  Einhom,  the 
ultra  radical  reformer,  who  likewise  had  opposed 
Wise's  plans  for  a  union  and  a  rabbinical  college, 


Personal  Characteristics  371 

Wise  wrote  in  the  November  7,  1879,^  issue  of  the 
American  Israelite:  "Rev.  Dr.  David  Einhorn  is 
no  more.  .  .  .  He  was  one  of  the  foremost 
pioneers  in  the  reform  movement  in  the  syna- 
gogue he  had  made  himself  profoundly  felt  by  his 
eloquence,  learning,  and  sagacity.  .  .  .  Dr. 
Einhorn  distinguished  himself  in  the  German 
rabbinical  conferences  where  he  sided  with  Geiger, 
Holdheim,  and  other  progressive  rabbis,  and  ad- 
vocated the  cause  he  had  espoused  with  decided 
ability  and  vehemence.  In  our  country  he  ad- 
hered to  the  reform  cause  with  the  same  decision 
and  firmness  of  character. 

"As  a  teacher  in  Israel  he  was  a  mighty  man, 
highly  respected  for  his  eloquence  and  sagacity. 
As  a  writer  he  left  behind  him  a  prayer-book,  a 
catechism,  the  first  volume  on  Judaism,  four 
volumes  of  Sinai  Journal,  all  in  German,  in  which 
many  of  his  sermons  and  other  literary  produc- 
tions were  pubHshed.  His  biography  ought  to  be 
written  by  one  of  his  sons-in-law  (Rabbis  E.  G. 
Hirsch  and  Kaufman  Kohler)  who  had  access  to 
his  papers.  [This  has  not  yet  been  done,  though 
Dr.  Kohler  delivered  an  eloquent  centenary  ad- 
dress at  the  Rabbinical  Conference.^]  We  can 
but  briefly  report  the  outline  of  the  biography  of 

^  Vol.  xxxiii.,  N.  S.  No.  19.  » 1909  Year  Book,  C.  C.  A.  R. 


372  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

one  who  will  occupy  a  prominent  page  in  Jewish 
history,  and  whose  memory  is  sacred  to  every 
honest  man  in  Israel.  We  feel  incompetent  to  do 
him  justice  .  .  .  and  deeply  feel  the  loss  of  a 
great  teacher  in  Israel." 

In  the  frequent  autobiographical  articles  that 
appeared  in  the  Israelite  and  Deborah,  Wise  re- 
frained from  mentioning  his  Hving  opponents  by 
name.  His  Reminiscences  came  to  an  abrupt  close 
in  1857,  because,  had  he  continued  them,  it  would 
have  been  necessary  to  enter  in  detail  upon  the 
great  controversies  with  his  opponents  and  detrac- 
tors, many  of  whom  were  still  Uving. 

In  the  Israelite  of  March  21,  1895,'  in  which  he 
sketches  his  career  in  America,  writing  of  the 
opposition  to  the  Cleveland  conference,  and  the 
subsequent  violent  and  abusive  controversies,  he 
says:  "How  and  by  whom  that  horrible  state 
of  affairs  was  engendered  and  promoted  we  could 
not  write  down  without  offence  to  the  dead  and  to 
the  surviving  few — most  of  the  latter  repented  the 
parts  they  played  in  that  mournful  drama — and 
without  tearing  the  medicated  bandages  from 
wounds  still  bleeding,  from  sores  that  will  not 
heal.    ..." 

Isaac  Mayer  Wise  was  a  staunch  and  loyal 

'  Vol.  xli.,  No.  38. 


^Personal  Characteristics  373 

friend;  his  motto  was,  "Once  a  friend,  a  friend 
forever."  He  never  deserted  any  one  whom  he 
had  befriended  nor  who  had  befriended  him,  and 
he  refused  to  believe  evil  of  any  one  with  whom 
he  was  closely  connected,  and  this  confidence, 
often  misplaced,  frequently  caused  him  discom- 
fiture and  distress.  As  already  stated,  he  wrote 
few  letters.  Some,  however,  have  been  saved. 
Extracts  from  these  show  how  true  his  friendship 
was.  One  of  his  best  friends  was  Mr.  A.  Anspacher, 
of  wSan  Francisco,  with  whom  he  corresponded  at 
intervals: 

Cincinnati,  July  28,  1886. 

My  dear  Friend  Anspacher 

Permit  me,  my  good  friend,  to  start  out  with  the 
complaint,  that  you  do  me  a  great  wrong,  in  one  of 
your  last  letters  to  this  office,  in  suspecting  me  of  a 
grudge  of  any  sort  of  ill  feelings  toward  you.  In  the 
first  place,  I  had  no  cause  to  harbour  such  sentiments ; 
and  in  the  second  place  I  never  in  my  life  changed  my 
feelings  to  any  person  whom  I  once  called  a  friend  or 
who  demonstrated  to  me  by  deeds  of  benevolence  his 
friendship.  You  might  rather  put  it  down  as  a  weak 
point  in  my  character,  that  I  can  never  leave  a  friend 
even  if  the  world  condemns  him.  A  friend  once  is 
with  me  a  friend  forever,  also  if  he  changes  and  turns 
against  me. 

I  do  not  recollect  anything  from  which  you  might 
have  inferred  that  I  harboured  any  ill  feelings  against 


374  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

you  or  your  family,  except  my  silence.  I  did  not  write 
to  you.  Allow  me  to  state  in  extenuation  of  this  sus- 
picion, that  I  never  write  unless  1  have  something  par- 
ticular to  write.  Aside  from  this,  however,  there  was 
another  cause  of  silence.  The  conduct  of  some  persons 
and  congregations  in  regard  to  the  "Union"  and  the 
"College"  appeared  to  me  so  unprincipled  and  un- 
just, so  full  of  egotism  and  small  personal  spites,  and 
so  bare  of  loyalty  to  the  cause  of  Israel  and  the  common 
interests  of  our  people,  which  embittered  my  feelings 
to  that  extent,  that  I  felt  the  necessity  of  absolute 
silence,  as  I  was  afraid  to  say  too  much,  especially  in 
writing  to  a  friend,  and  so  for  the  last  two  years  I 
wrote  no  private  letters  at  all.  I  am  somewhat  cooled 
off  and  toned  down  now  and  might  write  again. 
Besides  I  have  something  to  write,  viz.,  I  would  be- 
speak your  kindest  feelings  for  Rev.  Mr.  Voorsanger,  ^ 
who  is  known  to  me  as  a  gentleman  of  eminent  char- 
acter and  fine  qualifications.  I  wrote  to  him  about 
you,  and  I  wish  to  move  you  to  befriend  him  and  to 
give  him  your  influence. 

In  my  private  affairs  I  am  prosperous  and  satisfied, 
so  I  am  in  my  congregation  and  in  Cincinnati  in 
general.  The  College  has  built  up  a  reputation  which 
secures  its  existence  as  long  as  there  will  be  Jews  in 
this  country,  although  financially  it  is  much  less  than 
prosperous.  Last  year's  deficit  was  $6000.  But 
there  are  yet  plenty  of  good  men  in  this  country,  who 
are  a  reliable  capital.  The  institute  is  now  in  good 
working  order,  and  I  would  retire,  in  fact  I  ought  to 
do  it  in  order  to  write  the  books  which  I  wish  to  write ; 

'  Rev.  Mr.  Voorsanger  was  soon  thereafter  elected  rabbi  of 
Temple  Emanuel  of  San  Francisco. 


Personal  Characteristics  375 

but  its  finances  would  not  allow  it  to  pay  the  salary 

which  my  successor  would  have  to  be  paid. 

With  love  to  all  and  special  friendship  and  regard 

to  you,  I  am  always  yours, 

Isaac  M.  Wise. 

Cincinnati,  September  23,  1887. 

Mr.  a.  Anspacher, 

Dear  Sir  and  Friend: 

With  mine  and  my  family's  best  wishes  for  the  New 
Year,  I  send  you  a  duplicate  of  my  photograph,  one 
for  you  and  one  for  Mrs.  Hannah  Meyer,  to  show  you 
what  a  Shlemiel  I  have  become  in  the  last  ten  years, 
since  I  saw  you  last,  how  careworn  and  overworked 
I  look,  so  that  you  might  know  and  understand  why 
I  am  not  as  active  and  agile  as  in  former  years,  hence 
not  in  the  right  spirit  to  write  letters  of  friendship  and 
politeness.  Still  I  must  confess  that  I  am  entirely 
well  and  fit  to  do  the  work  in  which  I  am  engaged. 

Friendship  in  my  estimation  is  no  watch  which 
requires  frequent  winding.  A  man  whom  I  have 
once  called  my  friend  is  my  friend  forever,  my  senti- 
ments change  not,  even  if  I  do  not  frequently  express 
them.  I  feel  "profounder"  than  I  can  utter.  Now, 
please,  if  angry  you  were,  give  it  up,  and  remember 

kindly 

Your  old  friend, 

Isaac  M.  Wise. 

Cincinnati,  October  9,  1890. 

My  dear  Friend  Anspacher  : 

Yotir  letter  of  the  20th  inst.  touched  me  to  the  core, 
it  unfurls  the  mourning  which  still  bedims  your  heart ; 


^7^  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

and  I  am  but  sorry  that  I  can  not  relieve  and  console 
you  any  better  than  by  a  mere  proof  of  sympathy,  and 
by  pointing  to  Heaven's  love  and  benignity,  to  which 
we  all,  who  trust  in  Him,  must  submit  with  devotion 
and  pious  resignation,  as  did  Job  in  the  hour  of  sore 
bereavement  and  painful  affliction. 

This  little  poem  in  memoriam  of  your  good  wife 
.  .  .  has  been  written  long  ago.  I  hoped  to  hear 
more  particulars  about  her  life,  in  order  to  bring  it  into 
the  poem.  But  none  would  write  me  or  publish 
otherwise  the  desired  information,  and  so  I  published 
what  I  had  written  under  the  personal  impression  and 
recollections  I  had  of  the  noble  deceased. 

With  the  assurances  of  the  highest  respect  and  sin- 
cere friendship, 

Yours, 

Isaac  M.  Wise. 

Cincinnati,  Sept.  23,  1899. 

My  dear  Friend  Anspacher: 

It  seems  that  you  and  I  are  becoming  more  foolish 
as  we  become  older;  I  because  I  am  now  at  work  six- 
teen hours  a  day,  meal-time  excepted,  which  is  rank 
folly;  and  you  because  you  imagine  yourself  too  old 
to  do  much  of  anything.  It  does  not  appear  from 
your  letter  that  you  are  much  enfeebled.  Still  I 
think  we  have  a  right  now  to  get  somewhat  foolish, 
I  because  I  was  Wise  for  eighty  years,  and  you  because 
you  have  done  so  much  good  in  eighty-two  years  to 
the  world,  that  you  may  now  inflict  a  little  folly  upon 
this  world.  But  I  must  advise  you  not  to  afflict  your- 
self with  the  imagined  frailty  and  feebleness  of  old 
age.     Keep  sweet    your   humour,   as   your   heart   is 


Personal  Characteristics  377 

benevolent,  turn  the  eighty-two  into  twenty-eight, 
and  live  accordingly  with  thanks  to  the  Lord  who  has- 
gifted  you  with  special  kindness  to  be  yet  A.  Anspacher 
as  always  heretofore,  and  expect  of  Him  to  prolong 
the  lease  up  to  one  hundred,  as  He  can  hardly  afford 
to  let  you  go  below  par.  If  you  want  me  to  do  it,  I 
will  assist  you  in  negotiating  that  lease. 

Yours  as  ever, 

Isaac  M.  Wise. 

His  friendship  with  Rev.  Dr.  Max  Lilienthal  has 
already  been  referred  to,  as  being  one  of  the  most 
notable  between  rabbis,  and  the  only  instance 
where  two  eminent  rabbis  living  in  the  same  city 
were  in  such  intimate  relations. 

In  Cincinnati  he  was  on  a  very  friendly  footing 
with  Archbishops  Purcell  and  Elder,  as  well  with  the 
leading  Episcopal  and  other  Protestant  clergymen. 
Many  of  the  anecdotes  attributed  to  him  regard- 
ing Archbishop  Purcell  are  unfounded.  However, 
when  the  Archbishop  at  one  time  issued  an  order 
forbidding  any  CathoHc  to  sing  in  a  choir  of  a 
synagogue,  Wise  spoke  against  the  edict  and 
threatened  to  retaliate  by  advising  Jews  not  to 
employ  any  Catholics  either  in  their  business 
houses  or  their  homes.  This  had  the  desired  eflect 
and  the  obnoxious  order  was  withdrawn. 

Special  mention  should  be  made  of  a  long  and 
intimate    friendship    with    Thomas    F.    Vickers, 


S7^  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

minister  of  the  Unitarian  Church,  librarian  of  the 
Public  Library,  and  later  rector  of  the  University 
of  Cincinnati. 

"Wise  held  very  liberal  and  advanced  views 
regarding  the  Mosaic  dietary  laws.  The  following 
letter  contains  the  best  and  most  succinct  expres- 
sion on  this  question: 

Cincinnati,  O.,  Nov.  23,  1897. 

Mr.  Amson  Mohr, 

Savannah,  Ga. 
Dear  Sir: 

If  I  open  my  letter  with  the  excuse  that  I  could  find 
no  time  to  answer  yours  of  the  9th  inst.  ere  this,  you 
might  think  it  is  a  common  phrase  to  excuse  laziness. 
I  can  assure  you,  however,  that  it  is  a  fact.  My  duties 
leave  me  no  time  to  oblige  my  best  friends,  although 
I  am  at  work  every  day  till  midnight. 

I  have  no  doubt  you  and  your  good  wife  are  per- 
fectly capable  and  anxiously  desirous  to  educate  your 
sons  to  be  God-fearing,  truth-loving,  and  virtuous 
Israelite,  as  becoming  the  beloved  offspring  of  generous 
parents,  and  you  will  succeed  well,  for  father  and 
mother  are  the  most  efficient  teachers  of  their 
children. 

As  far  as  the  substance  of  Judaism  is  concerned,  I 
believe  to  have  laid  it  down  in  the  Judaism:  Its  Doc- 
trines and  Duties,  of  which  you  speak  so  kindly;  what 
belongs  to  it,  to  complete  it,  is  the  history  of  our 
people,  which  you  certainly  have  in  your  library.  I 
said  little  about  dietary  and  hygienic  laws,  because 
aside  from  the  laws  of  Moses  I  can  not  consider  them 


Personal  Characteristics  379 

as  appertaining  to  religion.  The  Law  of  Moses  pro- 
hibits the  eating  of  blood,  the  flesh  of  animals  which 
died  of  any  disease  or  were  torn  by  carnivorous  ani- 
mals, and  the  animals  mentioned  in  Leviticus  xi.  and 
Deuter.  xiv.  I  for  my  part  do  not  eat  anything  which 
Moses  prohibits,  nor  is  it  used  in  my  house,  except 
oysters,  which  I  think  are  not  included  among  the 
forbidden  fish  kinds.  I  do  this  out  of  respect  for  the 
Law  of  Moses,  which  I  regard  as  eminently  wise  and 
just.  Still,  as  a  matter  of  religion,  I  can  not  consider 
any  food  regulation  binding  upon  all  times  and  gener- 
ations, as  much  depends  on  climatical  conditions  and 
police  regulations.  So  I  teach  my  children  to  respect 
every  law  of  Moses — beyond  that  I  do  not  go — not  to 
violate  presumptuously  any  one  at  any  time;  but  I  do 
not  call  it  a  sin  to  eat  that  which  civilized  people 
generally  eat,  although  I  with  this  my  own  conscience 
would  not  eat  it.  There  is  no  reference  to  food  in  the 
Ten  Commandments.  None  can  deduce  any  food 
arrangement  from  the  Decalogue — and  this  is  the  Law 
of  the  Covenant — hence  eating  this  or  that  could  not 
be  called  a  sin  according  to  Moses  and  the  Prophets. 

I  hope,  dear  Sir,  this  my  humble  opinion  v/ill  satisfy 
you,  as  the  best  I  could  say  to  a  friend  whom  I  respect 
highly  and  greet  fraternally  as. 

Yours, 

Isaac  M.  Wise. 


The  family  life  of  Isaac  Mayer  Wise  was  ideaL 
He  was  married  twice.  His  first  wife  was  Theresa 
Bloch,  who  had  been  his  pupil  at  Grafenried,  and 
in  his  Reminiscences  are  many  passages  showing 


380  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

how  congenial  they  were,  and  how  noble,  self- 
sacrificing,  and  helpful  she  was  to  her  husband. 
Of  this  marriage  there  were  born  ten  children, 
of  whom  eight  were  living  at  the  time  of  his  death 
in  1900:  Emily,  his  eldest  daughter,  Mrs.  Ben- 
jamin May,  of  Cincinnati;  Leo  Wise,  his  eldest  son, 
his  father's  partner  in  the  publishing  firm,  Leo 
Wise  &  Company,  now  publisher  and  editor  of 
the  American  Israelite;  Dr.  Julius  Wise,  since 
deceased,  who  during  the  1 878-1 879  Memphis 
yellow  fever  epidemic  was  a  member  of  the  famous 
Howard  Society.  Later  he  wrote  for  the  Israelite 
under  the  nom  de  plume,  "  Nickerdown " ;  Ida, 
Mrs.  Henry  Bernheim,  of  Cincinnati ;  Isidor  Wise, 
now  connected  with  the  American  Israelite;  Helen, 
widow  of  James  Molony;  Iphigene  Miriam,  Mrs. 
Adolph  S.  Ochs,  of  New  York,  and  Harry  Wise, 
of  Chattanooga,  Tennessee. 

About  1870  Dr.  Wise's  wife  became  an  invalid, 
and  during  the  remaining  four  years  of  her  life  was 
a  great  sufferer.  He  was  most  solicitous  during 
her  long  illness  and  bore  with  great  fortitude  and 
stoicism  her  untimely  death  in  December,  1874, 
at  the  age  of  fifty-three  years. 

On  April  25, 1876,  he  married  Miss  Selma  Bondi, 
of  New  York  City,  the  daughter  of  the  distin- 
guished and  learned  Rabbi  Jonah  Bondi.     Selma 


Personal  Characteristics  381 

Bondi  Wise,  who  survives  her  husband,  was  a 
splendid  helpmate,  a  woman  of  fine  education,  of 
artistic  tastes,  well  read  and  widely  informed. 
During  the  twenty-four  years  of  their  married  life 
she  was  his  companion  on  all  his  trips,  and  looked 
after  all  his  needs.  Of  this  marriage  there  were 
born  four  children,  the  eldest,  Elsie  Corinne  Wise, 
a  beautiful  and  lovely  young  girl,  died  in  her 
twenty-second  year,  less  than  a  year  before  her 
father,  who  bore  this  great  sorrow  with  great 
resignation;  Jonah  Bondi  Wise,  now  rabbi  of 
Temple  Beth  Israel,  of  Portland,  Oregon,  and  his 
twin  sister,  Regina,  Mrs.  Albert  J.  May,  of  Cin- 
cinnati, and  Isaac  M.  Wise,  a  member  of  the 
Cincinnati,  Hamilton  County  Bar.  At  the  time 
of  Dr.  Wise's  death  there  were  fourteen  grand- 
children living. 

In  December,  1861,  Dr.  Wise  purchased  a  large 
farm  on  the  Hamilton  turnpike  about  two  miles 
north  of  the  village  of  College  Hill,  and  about  a 
mile  south  of  Mount  Healthy,  then  known  as 
Mount  Pleasant.  He  selected  this  beautiful  place 
because  it  was  near  College  Hill  where  there  were 
then  located  two  well-known  educational  institu- 
tions, the  Ohio  Female  College,  which  his  older 
daughters  attended,  and  Farmer's  College,  where 
his  older  sons  were  enrolled. 


382  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

For  many  years  he  lived  on  the  farm  throughout 
the  entire  year  and  became  a  gentleman  farmer. 
He  often  joked  about  the  cost  of  his  potatoes, 
melons,  and  wine.  He  took  a  keen  delight  in  this 
farm,  which  at  the  time  of  his  death  contained 
about  forty-two  acres.  At  the  time  of  this  pur- 
chase the  only  public  conveyances  to  the  farm 
were  two  omnibus  lines,  one  to  College  Hill  and 
the  other  to  Mount  Healthy.  Wise  kept  several 
horses  and  conveyances,  and  had  many  cattle. 
Undoubtedly  his  excellent  health  and  his  vigorous 
old  age  were  in  a  large  measure  due  to  the  life  on 
the  farm,  and  his  daily  drives  to  and  from  the  city, 
a  distance  of  nine  miles.  Wise  and  his  horse, 
jogging  along,  while  the  doctor  sat  smoking  and  in 
deep  thought,  were  familiar  figures  on  the  old  pike. 

The  Wise  farm  was  well  known  in  the  city,  and 
during  the  first  ten  years  he  lived  there  his  friends 
would  visit  him  in  large  numbers  every  Sunday, 
and  during  the  summer  scarcely  a  Sunday  passed 
without  twenty  to  thirty  sitting  down  to  meals. 
He  was  known  for  his  generous  hospitality  and 
seldom  was  without  guests.  He  spent  his  last 
summer,  that  of  1899,  on  the  farm,  where  he  sat 
for  the  famous  sculptor,  Sir  Moses  Ezekiel,  of 
Rome,  a  former  Cincinnatian,  who  had  been  com- 
missioned by  the  Plum  Street  Congregation  to 


Personal  Characteristics  383 

make  a  life-sized  bronze  bust  of  Wise  in  com- 
memoration of  his  eightieth  birthday,  that  had 
occurred  in  the  previous  March.  After  his  death 
this  bust  was  presented  by  his  family  to  the  He- 
brew Union  College.  Shortly  after  his  death  the 
Wise  farm,  or  Floral  House  as  it  was  known,  passed 
into  the  hands  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Adolph  S. 
Ochs,  of  New  York,  who  keeps  the  old  homestead 
as  a  memorial  to  her  father. 

Wise  was  an  indefatigable  worker,  and  during 
his  early  career  in  America  he  worked  eighteen 
hours  a  day,  and  in  his  latter  years  ten  to  twelve 
hours.  He  would  rise  between  seven  and  eight. 
In  his  early  years  in  Cincinnati  he  would  do  most 
of  his  writing  at  the  office  of  the  Israelite,  but  in 
later  years  he  worked  more  in  the  Ubrary  of  his 
home.  On  the  farm  he  had  a  large  room,  the 
walls  of  which  were  lined  with  bookcases,  and  a 
large  table  at  which  he  worked.  He  never  missed 
furnishing  copy  for  his  papers.  He  usually  came 
to  the  Israelite  office  on  Monday  and  Tuesday, 
when  he  read  his  proofs.  Here  he  met  visitors, 
and  in  the  afternoon  he  would  attend  college,  where 
he  remained  until  it  was  time  to  go  to  the  farm,  or 
if  he  was  Hving  in  the  city,  to  his  home.  During 
the  last  ten  years  of  his  life  he  would  take  a  short 
nap  after  lunch,  and  in  the  evening  on  the  farm 


384  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

he  wotild  sit  on  the  veranda  about  an  hour  after 
supper,  smoking  his  cigar.  He  was  an  inveterate 
smoker,  and  would  puff  away  at  his  cigar,  often 
unconscious  of  the  fact  that  it  had  gone  out.  After 
resting  he  would  go  into  his  Hbrary  and  work  until 
midnight.  Then  he  would  take  off  his  glasses,  lay 
them  on  the  table,  and  retire.  He  used  glasses 
only  when  he  read  and  wrote,  and  when  they  were 
not  in  use  he  invariably  wore  them  on  the  top  of  his 
head,  and  frequently  would  forget  he  had  placed 
them  there;  his  bright  eyes  were  undimmed  until 
the  end.  In  height  he  was  five  feet,  eight,  and 
had  a  magnificent  head,  and  his  chief  character- 
istic was  his  genial  smile,  which  lighted  up  his 
countenance. 

During  the  last  thirty  years  of  his  Hfe  he  was 
somewhat  stooped  and  dragged  in  his  step.  This 
was  undoubtedly  due  to  the  sedentary  habit  and 
position  he  assumed  while  writing. 

He  was  simple  in  dress  and  usually  wore  black 
clothes,  a  white  shirt,  a  wing  collar,  with  a  white 
neckcloth;  in  v/inter  an  old-fashioned  high  hat, 
in  summer  a  broad-brimmed  straw,  and  always 
carried  a  cane.  In  walking  with  a  companion,  if 
he  desired  to  call  especial  attention  to  anything, 
his  custom  was  to  stop  short,  and  soon  after  he 
would   continue   his   walk,  only   to   stop   again. 


Personal  Characteristics  385 

When  working  in  his  library  he  would  wear  a  long 
smoking-gown  and  in  summer  he  would  work  in 
his  shirt-sleeves.  On  his  seventieth  birthday,  as 
has  already  been  stated,  the  Union  of  American 
Hebrew  Congregations  presented  him  with  a  house 
near  the  college.  Here  he  lived  from  October  to 
May,  when  he  would  return  to  the  farm.  The 
alumni  of  the  college  furnished  his  library,  where 
he  loved  to  work.  His  desk  here,  as  well  as  the 
large  table  on  the  farm,  was  always  covered  with 
books,  papers,  magazines,  and  pamphlets.  The 
following  letter  describes  his  removal  to  his  new 
home: 

Cincinnati,  Oct.  30,  1889. 

My  dear  Son  Max:i 

I  am  moved,  not  so  much  by  your  last  letter,  as  by 
the  big  wagons  you  know  as  a  special  Cincinnati 
institution. 

I  am  settled  down  again  to  work  and  see  that  is 
also  the  case  with  you,  only  that  you  have  more 
courses  in  school  than  I  have  at  dinner.  But  I  guess 
that  is  all  right  if  you  can  stand  it. 

Mrs.  Wise  and  the  children,  in  fact  the  whole  family, 
are  in  best  condition  of  health  and  cheer.  I  wish  you 
were  here  just  to  see  how  orderly  it  looks  in  my  library, 
no  books  on  the  table,  no  periodicals  obscure  the  view, 
nothing  to  mar  the  beauty  of  the  new  study  simply 

'  Addressed  to  Max  B.  May,  his  eldest  grandson,  who  was  at 
Harvard  Law  School,  and  whom  he  always  addressed  as  "son." 

25 


386  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

because  I  have  done  nothing  during  the  past  four 
weeks. 

I  ought  of  right  send  you  some  paternal  advice, 
prescribe  to  you  some  sagacious  rules  of  conduct,  a 
dose  of  moral  precepts,  some  religious  sparks,  and  so 
on,  becoming  a  hoary  and  priestly  grandfather.  Still 
I  think  you  can  get  along  quite  well  without  it,  and  I 
dislike  to  play  the  moralist  and  sage  outside  the 
pulpit.    .    .    . 

Guests  are  coming,  and  a  good  many  of  them.  I 
must  stop  abruptly.     Hope  to  hear  of  you  soon. 

Isaac  M.  Wise. 

He  was  a  familiar  figure  on  Sixth  Street  between 
Cutter  and  Mound,  where  he  could  be  seen  daily 
with  a  group  of  students  and  professors  accom- 
panying him  to  and  from  the  college  after  the 
manner  that  the  disciples  followed  Socrates. 

For  the  household  he  was  a  most  liberal  pro- 
vider and  always  attended  to  the  marketing.  The 
butcher  and  the  baker  would  drive  into  his  farm- 
yard, and  he  would  select  the  meat,  and  near  his 
city  home  there  was  a  suitable  meat  store  at  which 
he  would  do  the  marketing.  His  table,  though 
abundantly  supplied,  was  simple ;  his  appetite  was 
good. 

After  his  illness  in  Albany  in  1850,  and  a  short 
illness  in  1856  in  Cincinnati,  he  was  seldom  indis- 
posed during  his  long  life.  He  could  endure  travel- 
ling without  fatigue.     In  his  eightieth  year  he 


Personal  Characteristics  387 

describes  a  trip  he  took  in  September,  1898. 
Writing  in  the  Israelite  of  September  15th, '  of  that 
year,  under  the  head,  "Three  Days  on  Duty, 
Three  Nights  on  the  Train,"  he  says:  "We  left 
Cincinnati  Thursday,  8 :  00  p.  M.  .  .  for  Peoria. 
.  .  .  The  next  morning  we  were  in  Peoria. 
The  first  thing  we  did  that  morning  was  to  pray 
at  the  grave  of  our  dearly  beloved  mother .... 
We  will  not  impose  on  our  readers  our  feelings  and 
recollections,  they  are  too  sacred  to  be  described. 
Mother  Regina  was  a  queen  in  name  and  in 
truth."  At  Peoria  he  dedicated  the  new  temple 
Anshe  Emeth  and  installed  as  rabbi  his  former 
assistant,  Charles  S.  Levi.  On  Saturday  evening 
he  left  for  Chicago,  where  he  arrived  early  Sunday 
morning.  "The  first  thing  we  did,"  he  writes, 
"was  to  take  a  ride  to  meet  a  supposed  benefactor 
(of  the  Hebrew  Union  College)  who  did  not  benefit 
us."  Later  in  the  day  he  laid  the  corner-stone  of 
Rabbi  Joseph  Stolz's  new  temple  Isaiah,  and  met 
many  old  acquaintances,  and  that  night  travelled 
to  Cincinnati.  He  then  says  that  he  wrote  his 
report  of  the  trip  upon  his  arrival  at  Cincinnati, 
and  "at  2:  GO  p.m.  we  were  in  the  Hebrew  Union 
College  on  duty  at  the  opening  of  the  preparatory 
department  for  the  year  1 898-1 899,  and  closed 

'Vol.  xlv.,  No.  II. 


388  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

the  day  with  the  marriage  of  Mr.  S.  K.  and  Miss 
A.  S.,  and  then  we  went  home  to  rest  a  while." 

Wise  beheved  in  being  prepared  for  all  emergen- 
cies. If  he  proposed  or  suggested  any  plans  for 
any  special  purpose,  he  had  always  carefully 
worked  out  the  main  points.  He  would  never  put 
off  for  the  morrow  what  could  be  done  today,  and 
was  ever  ready  to  defend  the  Jews  and  Judaism. 
A  few  extracts  from  his  editorials  give  an  accurate 
insight  into  his  method.  Speaking  of  the  publica- 
tion of  the  Minhag  America  (American  Ritual) 
and  its  adoption  by  many  congregations  in  the 
West  and  South-west,  he  writes  in  the  Israelite 
of  February  2'j,  1884:  "The  uniting  effect  of  this 
move  was  counteracted  in  the  East  by  the  publica- 
tion of  four  other  (prayer)  books,  and  a  number 
of  temporary  forms  of  worship.  I  sat  down  and 
wrote  the  Essence  of  Judaism,  which  was  after- 
wards remodelled  into  Judaism:  Its  Doctrines  and 
Duties,  as  a  brief  text-book  for  the  rising  genera- 
tion, and  saw  it  spreading  far  and  wide  over  the 
whole  country.  Instantly  a  half  a  dozen  of  so- 
called  catechisms  were  written  and  set  afloat  to 
counteract  this  move  on  behalf  of  union. 

"Whenever  the  Jew  and  Judaism  were  attacked, 
I  was  there,  writing  or  speaking  in  defence  of  it. 
Whenever  Judaism  needed  an  expounder  or  advo- 


Personal  Characteristics  389 

cate,  I  was  there,  called  or  not  called,  paid  or  not 
paid,  whenever  and  wherever  I  was  wanted.  The 
opponents  could  not  imitate  this,  but  did  their 
best  in  a  private  way,  and  in  a  press  kept  up  for  the 
purpose  to  decry  and  defame  me  in  every  possible 
way  just  as  they  do  now  in  Philadelphia  and  New 
York.  When  from  all  sides  Christian  teachers, 
writers,  and  orators  attacked  Judaism  and  accused 
the  Jews  of  ignorance  of  the  New  Testament,  I  was 
the  man  to  accept  the  challenge.  I  sat  down  and 
wrote  my  books  and  lectures  on  Christianity,  and 
travelled  with  them  all  over  the  land  to  avert  the 
attacks  and  give  to  the  Jews  a  firm  standpoint 
opposite  Christianity  and  its  founder,  which  you 
can  hear  now  re-echoed  by  almost  all  Jewish 
speakers." 

A  critical  estimate  of  Isaac  Mayer  Wise  as  an 
author  is  not  within  the  scope  of  this  book.  In  an 
appendix  appears  a  complete  bibliography  of  his 
work  prepared  by  Mr.  A.  S.  Oko,  librarian  of  the 
Hebrew  Union  College. 

Wise  was  greatly  interested  in  the  schools  of 
Cincinnati,  and  during  the  years  1 875-1 884  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Examiners  who  passed 
upon  the  qualifications  of  all  teachers  for  the 
public  schools.  After  Dr.  Lilienthal's  death,  in 
1882,   Wise  was  appointed  his  successor  on  the 


390  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Board  of  Directors  of  the  University  of  Cincin- 
nati and  served  until  1898,  when  he  resigned. 
While  on  that  board  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Academic  Committee,  which  had  charge  of  the 
curriculum  of  the  university. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE   END 

Isaac  Mayer  Wise  was  active  to  the  last.  On 
Saturday  morning,  March  24,  1900,  he  occupied 
his  pulpit  at  the  Plum  Street  Temple,  and  preached 
an  impressive  sermon,  taking  as  his  text  Numbers 
vi.,  24:  "May  the  Lord  bless  thee  and  keep  thee; 
May  the  Lord  let  His  countenance  shine  upon  thee 
and  be  gracious  to  thee;  May  the  Lord  lift  up  His 
countenance  to  thee  and  grant  thee  peace. "  After 
the  services,  as  was  the  custom,  a  large  number 
of  the  congregation  grasped  his  hand  and  ex- 
changed the  Sabbath  greeting,  "Good  Sabbath,'* 
unconscious  of  the  fact  that  the  eloquent  voice  that 
had  just  given  the  priestly  benediction  had  been 
heard  by  them  for  the  last  time,  and  that  Bene 
Yeshurun  congregation,  the  mother  of  American 
Judaism,  was  soon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  her  great 
rabbi  and  leader,  who  during  the  past  forty-six 
years  had  sent  forth  from  her  pulpit  the  inspir- 
ing truths  of  Israel's  religion. 

391 


392  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

Saturday  noon  Dr.  Wise  dined  with  his  family 
and  was  in  good  spirits.  After  a  short  rest  he 
went  to  the  Hebrew  Union  College  to  meet  his 
class  at  two  o'clock.  He  taught  as  usual,  and, 
after  the  hour,  just  as  he  was  rising  from  his  chair 
the  fatal  stroke  came  and  he  fell.  His  faithful 
students  removed  him  to  a  couch  in  the  president's 
office,  whence  he  was  taken  to  his  home  in  a  semi- 
conscious condition.  During  that  night  he  tried 
to  speak,  but  his  words  were  inaudible;  he  tried  to 
write,  but  the  hand  that  had  wielded  the  pen  dur- 
ing all  these  years  was  helpless  now.  On  Sunday, 
he  became  unconscious,  and  on  Monday,  March 
26,  1900,  just  as  the  sun  was  setting,  his  great 
spirit  returned  to  God  and  Isaac  Mayer  Wise  slept 
with  his  fathers. 

On  Thursday,  March  29,  1900,  the  eighty-first 
anniversary  of  his  birth,  he  was  buried  from  the 
Plum  Street  Temple.  His  body  lay  in  state  in 
the  temple  that  he  had  made  famous  throughout 
the  land.  Thousands  of  his  fellow-citizens  passed 
around  his  coffin,  which,  in  accordance  with  his 
wish,  was  a  plain  pine  box  without  any  ornaments, 
lined  with  white  musHn.  A  black  pall  was  thrown 
over  the  rude  coffin,  and  upon  it  one  token,  of 
smilax  and  violets. 

When  the  services  began  every  seat  in  the  large 


The  End  393 

temple  was  occupied,  and,  despite  the  raw  and 
rainy  day,  hundreds  were  standing  in  the  streets 
outside.  The  services  consisted  of  an  opening 
prayer  by  Rev.  Dr.  David  Philipson,  Rabbi  of 
Bene  Israel  congregation;  this  was  followed  by  a 
hymn  written  by  Dr.  Wise,  "Es  Leben  Unsere 
Toden"  (Our  Dead  ShaU  Live).  The  funeral 
oration  was  delivered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Louis  Gross- 
mann,  Wise's  associate  as  rabbi  of  Plum  Street 
Temple.  He  took  as  his  text  Psalm  xxv.,  verses 
12-13:  "Who  is  this  man?  He  feared  God  and 
pointed  out  the  chosen  way.  His  soul  dwelleth 
in  good  and  his  seed  will  inherit  the  earth," 
which  Dr.  Wise  had  chosen  thirty  years  before  as 
his  own  funeral  text. 

The  funeral  address  was  an  eloquent  and 
fitting  tribute  to  the  great  leader  in  Israel. 
The  active  pall-bearers  were  the  eleven  students 
of  the  senior  class  of  the  college.  The  funeral 
was  one  of  the  largest  ever  seen  in  Cincinnati. 
The  interment  was  in  the  United  Jewish  Ceme- 
tery on  Walnut  Hills,  and  a  year  later  Congre- 
gation Bene  Yeshurun  erected  a  tall,  simple 
marble  shaft  with  the  inscription,  "Isaac  M. 
Wise,"  and  set  a  headstone  bearing  the  following 
inscription : 


394  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

"Isaac  M.  Wise 

Born  in  Steingrub,  Bohemia,  March  29,  18 19 

Died  March  26,   1900 

Rabbi  of  K.  K.  Bene  Yeshurun 

Founder  of 

The  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Congregations 

The  Hebrew  Union  College 

The  Central  Conference  of  American  Rabbis." 

In  1846  when  Wise  arrived  in  America,  he  found 
the  Jews  of  this  country  unorganized  and  many 
of  them  were  drifting  away  from  Judaism.  Their 
religious  life  was  a  reproduction  of  the  intolerable 
conditions  that  existed  in  the  old  Ghetto.  He 
realized  that  if  Judaism  in  America  was  to  be 
preserved  it  would  be  necessary  not  only  to 
Americanize  the  Jew,  but  his  Judaism.  This  he 
accomplished  by  the  several  organizations  that 
he  founded  and  the  papers  he  published,  and  at 
his  death,  through  his  efforts,  the  American  Jew 
was  an  influential,  respected,  public-spirited,  and 
philanthropic  citizen  of  every  community  in  which 
he  lived,  and  his  religion  modernized  and  adapted 
to  his  new  environment. 


The  End  395 

What  Martin  Luther  was  to  the  Reformation, 
Samuel  Adams  to  the  American  Revolution,  and 
William  Lloyd  Garrison  to  Abolitionism,  Isaac 
Mayer  Wise  was  to  Reform  Judaism  in  America. 
He  was  the  very  head  and  front  of  the  movement 
and  bore  the  whole  brunt  of  the  struggle.  His 
life's  work  is  well  summed  up  in  his  salutatory  to 
vol.  xliv.  of  the  American  Israelite,  published  July 
I,  1897: 

"  It  [Israelite]  started  out  with  the  well-defined 
purpose  to  Americanize  the  foreign-born  Judaism 
and  the  Jews,  to  make  them  permanently  at  home 
in  this  land  of  freedom  and  human  ideals,  in  full 
sympathy  with  its  people,  its  laws,  and  institutions, 
its  language,  literature,  and  customs,  its  ideas  and 
ideals.  The  Jew  must  become  a  genuine  American 
citizen  in  fact  and  feeling,  and  Judaism  an  Ameri- 
can religion  in  essence  and  forms — was  the  in- 
scription on  our  banner .... 

"None  who  observed  the  course  and  career  of 
this  journal  will  deny  that  this  was  its  guiding  star. 
None  who  knows  the  status  of  the  Jew  and  Judaism 
will  gainsay  the  fact  that  it  was  accomplished. 
There  are  today  no  better  American  citizens  than 
the  Jews,  and  no  religion  better  befitting  a  free 
people  than  Judaism.  None  will  maintain  that  the 
Israelite  alone  has  done  it ;  time  with  its  irresistible 


396  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

influences,  the  stern  common  sense  of  our  people, 
the  enthusiasm  of  many  leading  men  have  co- 
operated to  achieve  this  result.  But  the  Israelite 
worked  with  all  of  them  consistently  and  persist- 
ently, with  premeditation  and  solid  conviction 
that  this  is  the  only  salvation  for  the  Jew  and 
Judaism.    .    .    . 

"Reform  Judaism  is  not  the  work  of  the  Israelite. 
American  Judaism  is.  We  had  a  goodly  number 
of  reformers,  rabbis,  and  laymen,  working  indus- 
triously and  successfully  tearing  down  and  build- 
ing up  after  the  German  fashion  and  pattern.  It 
looked  like  transplanting  Germany  into  America. 
This  was  not  what  was  wanted.  We  could  raise  no 
objection  to  the  reform  imported  from  Germany. 
Faithful  to  its  principles,  the  Israelite  brought 
forth  the  Minhag  America  (American  Ritual) 
and  this  took  well  among  the  masses.  It  at 
once  led  numerous  congregations  from  the  old 
and  antiquated  rituals  to  homelike,  sensible, 
and  reasonable  forms  of  worship.  The  Israelite 
is  responsible  for  the  Minhag  America,  the  tran- 
sition from  the  old  to  the  new  form  of  synagogal 
worship. 

"The  same  is  the  case  with  American  Judaism 
and  all  the  purely  American  institutions  belonging 
thereto,  the  Israelite  is  responsible  for  all  of  them. 


The  End  397 

...     It  {Israelite)  is  the  mother  of  American 
Judaism." 

The  life  and  career  of  Isaac  Mayer  Wise,  the 
founder  of  American  Judaism,  entitle  him  to  the 
fame  of  being  the  greatest  American  Jew  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  and  the  peer  of  any  Jew 
of  that  illustrious  age. 


A  LIST  OF  THE  WRITINGS 

OF 

ISAAC  MAYER  WISE 

Prepared  by 
ADOLPH  S.  OKO 
Librarian,  Hebrew  Union  College 

NOTE. 

The  following  is  but  a  tentative  (by  no  means  selective)  list  of 
the  writings  of  Isaac  M.  Wise.  With  a  single  exception  (No.  39), 
and  unless  re-issued  separately,  no  attempt  was  here  made  to 
survey  his  numerous,  signed  and  unsigned,  articles,  essays, 
sermons,  novels  and  stories  that  appeared,  during  a  period 
of  fifty-three  years,  in  the  Israelite  (afterwards,  American 
Israelite) ,  or  to  record  the  important  dissertations  and  transla- 
tions he  contributed  to  the  Asmonean  and  the  Deborah.  Neither 
are  his  addresses  published  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Union  of 
American  Hebrew  Congregations  included;  while  only  about  one 
half  of  his  contributions  to  the  Occident  are  listed  here. 

However,  the  year  1919,  the  hundredth  anniversary  of  the 
birth  of  Dr.  Wise,  will  be  a  timely  and  appropriate  occasion  also 
to  give  a  complete  and  systematic  bibliography  of  the  works 
that  have  issued  from  his  pen  for  over  five  decades. 

The  list  is  divided  into  two  sections  (I.  Separate  Works;  II. 
Articles  and  Contributions),  consecutively  numbered,  and  the 
titles  in  each  section  are  in  chronological  sequence.  Reprinted 
articles,  etc.,  are  listed  in  Section  I.     "Editions"  of  any  given 

399 


400        A  List  of  the  Writings  of 

independent  work  follow  the  original  issue.  The  occasional 
annotations  may  not  prove  altogether  superfluous.  The  abbrevia- 
tions employed  are  self-explanatory. 

A.  S.  0. 


I.      SEPARATE   WORKS 

The  End  of  Popes,  Nobles,  and  Kings;  or,  The  Pro- 
gress of  Civilization  [a  lecture],  delivered  before  the 
Hebrew  Young  Men's  Literary  Association  of  the  City 
of  New  York  (December  22,  1852).  New  York:  J. 
Muhlhaeuser,  1852.     20  p.    12°. 

History  of  the  Israelitish  Nation,  from  Abraham  to  the 
Present  Time.  Derived  from  the  original  sources,  v. 
I.     Albany:  J.  Munsell,  1854.     xxiv.,  560  p.     8°. 

[Minhag  America.]  A  form  of  worship  for  American 
Israelites  in  Hebrew.  Also  issued  together  with  the 
following  English  and  German  versions.  Cincinnati: 
Block  &  Co.,  1857.     I  p.  1.,  ii.  p.,  I  1.,  5-144  p.     16°. 

[Minhag  America.]  The  daily  prayers,  part  i.  Revised 
and  compiled  by  the  committee  of  the  Cleveland  confer- 
ence. Translated  by  Isaac  M.  Wise.  Cincinnati:  Block 
&  Co.,  5617  [  =  1857].     iv.,  5-120  p.     16°. 

Gebet-Buch  fur  den  oeffentlichen  Gottesdienst  und  die 
Privat-Andacht.  Theil  i.  Geordnet  und  ubersetzt 
von  der  in  der  Clevelander  Conferenz  emannten  litur- 
gischen  Commission,  den  Rabbinem  Kalisch,  Rothen- 
heim  und  Wise.  Cincinnati:  Block  u.  Co.,  1857,  iv., 
5-171  p.     16°. 


Also  issued  together  with  the  Hebrew  version.  For  criticism, 
see:  Sinai,  Jahrg.  2  (1857-58),  p.  788-792;  Jahrg.  3  (1858-59),  p. 
837-841,  867-871,  978-981,  995-997- 

5a.  [Minhag  America.]  Gebet-Buch  fiir  den  oeflfentlichen 
Gottesdienst  und  die  Privat-Andacht.  Zweite  ver- 
besserte  deutsche  Ausgabe.  Cincinnati:  Block  u.  Co., 
1864  [cop.  1861].     4p.  1.,  (i)  p.,  6-139  f.,  140-144 p.      16 


o 


Hebrew  and  German,  printed  side  by  side.    The  Hebrew  text 
was  printed  from  the  plates  of  the  1857  edition. 


Isaac  Mayer  Wise  401 

5b.  pklinhag  America.]  Daily  prayers.  Seventh  revised 
stereotype  edition.  Cincinnati,  0.:  Block  Ss?  Co.,  1870. 
v.p.  [160  p.]     16°. 

,    Hebrew  only. 

5c.  [Minhag  America.]  The  daily  prayers,  for  American 
Israelites  as  revised  in  conference.  [Appended:  Select 
prayers  (in  English)  for  various  occasions  in  life.  .  .  .] 
Cincinnati:  Block  &  Co.  [cop.  1872].  3  p.l.,  (i)  6-271, 
48  p.     16°. 

Hebrew  and  English. 

5d.     Cincinnati:    The  Block  Publishing  and  Printing 

Co.,  1889  [cop.  1872].     3  p.l.,  (i)  6-271,  48  p.     16°. 

Hebrew  and  English. — Frequently  reprinted. 

58.  [Minhag  America.]  The  daily  prayers,  for  American 
Israelites  (school  edition).  Cincinnati:  The  Block 
Publishing  and  Printing  Co.,  [cop.  1872].  v.p.  [138  p.]. 
16°. 

Hebrew  only. 

5f.  [Minliag  America.]  The  daily  prayers  for  American 
Israelites,  as  revised  in  conference.  Cincinnati:  The 
Block  Publishing  and  Printing  Co.,  1887  [cop.  1872]. 
v.p.  [138  p.].     16°. 

Hebrew  only. — Differs  from  the  preceding  in  slight  typographi- 
cal alterations  only. 

5g.  Gebete  der  Israeliten  in  Amerika.  (Verbessert  von  der 
Conferenz.)  [Appended:  Gebete  zur  oeffentlichen  und 
hauslichen  Andacht.  Sammlung  von  Gebeten  (in  Ger- 
man) fur  alle  Verhaltnisse  des  Lebens,  fur  Frauen 
und  Madchen.]  Cincinnati,  0.:  Block  &f  Co.  [cop.  1873]. 
3  pi.,  (i)  6-271,  65  p.     16°. 

Hebrew  and  German. — For  the  Minkag  America  for  holidays, 
see  No.  lo-ii;  see  also  No.  12- 12a. 


402        A  List  of  the  Writings  of 

6.  Der  maskierte  Liebhaber;  oder,  Die  Schule  der  Bes- 
serung.  Ein  Lustspiel  mit  Gesang  in  vier  Abtheil- 
ungen.     Cincinnati:  Block  Ssf  Co.,  1858.     48  p.     8°. 

'7.  The  Combat  of  the  People;  or,  Hillel  and  Herod. 
A  historical  romance  of  the  time  of  Herod  I.  Cincinnati, 
0.:  Block  &  Co.,  1859.     151  p.     8° 

.     Originally  published  in  Israelite. 

8.  The  First  of  the  Maccabees.     Cincinnati,  0.:  Block  &" 

Co.,   i860.     180  p.     8°. 

Originally  published  in  Israelite. — Treats  of  "the  period  from 
the  arousal  of  the  Jewish  people  by  the  Asmonean  and  his  sons  to 
the  re-dedication  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem. " 

8a.  The  First  of  the  Maccabees.  A  historical  novel.  Cin- 
cinnati :  The  Block  Puhlisking  and  Printing  Co.,  n.  d. 
180  p.     8°. 

Same  edition  as  preceding,  with  a  new  top. 

8b.  Les  Asmoneens.  Drame  en  cinq  actes,  en  prose,  tire  du 
roman  The  First  of  the  Maccabees  de  Isaac  M.  Wise 
par  M.  le  docteur  Bliden;  avec  I'autorisation  de 
I'auteur.  Traduction  par  I.  Epstein.  Jerusalem 
{printed):    Ecole  de  filles  de  Safed,  iSg;^.     iii  p.     16°. 

9.  The  Essence   of  Judaism:  for    teachers  and   pupils,  and 

for  self-instruction.     Cincinnati,  0.:  Block  &  Co.,  1861. 
65  p.     16°. 

"With  the  publication  of  this  book  the  popularization  of 
Biblical  Judaism  began. "  (From  a  MS.  note  by  the  author  on  a 
fly-leaf  of  the  copy  in  the  Hebrew  Union  College  Library.) 

9a.  The  Essence  of  Judaism:  for  teachers  and  pupils,  and 
for  self-instruction.  Second  edition.  Cincinnati,  0.: 
Block  &■  Co.,  1868.     80  p.    16°. 

See  also  No.  15. 


Isaac  Mayer  Wise  403 

10.  The  Divine  Service  of  American  Israelites  for  the  New 

Year.  By  Isaac  M.  Wise.  Cincinnati:  Block  &f  Co. 
[cop.  1866].     212  p.     16°. 

Hebrew  and  English. — This  and  the  following  work  form  part 
2  of  the  MinJmg  America,  and  were  "in  use  throughout  the 
country  until  the  appearance  [in  1894]  of  the  second  volume  of  the 
Union  Prayer  Book"  {Selected  Writings,  p.  98). 

11.  The  Divine  Service  of  American   Israelites  for  the  Day 

of  Atonement.  By  Isaac  M.  Wise.  [Appended:  A 
selection  of  Psalms  (in  Hebrew).]  Cincinnati:  Block  df 
Co.,  1866.     307,  55  p.     16°. 

12.  Hymns,  Psalms,  and  Prayers,  in   EngHsh   and  German. 

By  Isaac  M.  Wise,  and  others.  Cincinnati:  Block  &  Co. 
[cop.  1868].     263  p.     16°. 

"With  the  present  volume,  the  author  concludes  his  labour  for 
the  Minhag  America.  ...  All  original  pieces  in  this  volume 
written  by  others  than  the  author  are  marked  with  their  respec- 
tive names.  Pieces  adopted  from  other  collections  are  also 
properly  noted.  All  other  pieces  are  claimed  by  the  author  as  his 
own  productions. "     {Introduction.) 

12a.  Hymns  and  Prayers,  in  English  and  German.  By 
Isaac  M.  Wise,  and  others.  Cincinnati  and  Chicago: 
The  Block  Publishing  and  Printing  Co.,  1890.  ix,  10- 
263  p.     16° 


■o 


Differs  from  the  preceding  in  slight  typographical  alterations 
only. 

13.  The  Origin  of  Christianity,  and  a  Commentary   to  the 

Acts  of  the  Apostles.  Cincinnati:  Block  &  Co.,  1868. 
vii.  (i.),  (i)  10-535  P-     12°. 

14.  A  lecture  [: — "Our  Country's  Place  in  History"].     De- 

livered January  7,  1869,  before  the  Theological  and 
Religious  Library  Association  of  Cincinnati,  n.t.-p. 
[Cincinnati,  0.,  1869.]     7  p.     8°. 

Title  taken  from  first  page. 


404        A  List  of  the  Writings  of 

15.  Judaism:  Its  Doctrines  and  Duties.     [Cincinnati:]  Office  oj 

the  Israelite  [cop.  1872],     83  p.     12°. 

Being  the  "Essence  of  Judaism"  (1861)  re-written  "in  the 
popular  and  catechetic  form,"  to  which  is  "added  the  main 
Scriptural  passage  to  each  paragraph. " 

16.  Three  lectures  on  the  Origin  of  Christianity.     Cincinnati, 

0.:  Block  &  Co.  [1873].     33  P-     8°. 

'  First  lecture:  Jesus  the  Pharisee.  Second  lecture:  The 
Apostles  and  the  Essenes,  Third  lecture:  Paul  and  the  Mystics. 
— Lecture  3,  reprinted  in:  Selected  Writings  (1900),  p.  352-375- 

17.  The    Martyrdom    of  Jesus    of    Nazareth.     A    historic- 

critical  treatise  of  the  last  chapters  of  the  Gospel. 
Cincitmati,  0.:  Office  of  the  American  Israelite  [cop.  1874]. 

134  p.     8°- 

18.  The  Cosmic  God.     A  fundamental  philosophy  in  popular 

lectures.  Cincinnati:  Office  American  Israelite  and 
Deborah,  1876.     181  p.,  i  port.     8°. 

19.  The    Wandering    Jew.     A    lecture,     n.t.-p.     [Cincinnati, 

1877.]     12  p.     8°. 

Title  taken  from  first  page. — Originally  published  in  American 
Israelite,  v.  29  [n.s.,  v.7],  No.  15. — Reprinted  in:  Selected  Writings 
(1900),  p.  179-196. — Treats  on  the  part  the  Jew  has  played  in  the 
world's  civilization. 

20.  History  of  the  Hebrews'   Second  Commonwealth,  with 

special  reference  to  its  hterature,  culture,  and  the  origin 
of  rabbinism  and  Christianity.  Cincinnati:  Bloch  &  Co., 
1880.     3  p.l.,  386  p.     8°. 

Deals  with  the  period  from  Zerubbabel  to  the  fall  of  Jerusalem: 
536  B.c.E.  to  70  c.E. — The  book  is  "divided  into  Periods  and 
Chapters  and  subdivided  into  Paragraphs,  in  a  manner  which 
decidedly  assists  the  memory.  .  .  .  The  present  volume,  though 
a  complete  book  in  itself,  is  a  continuation  of  the  ["History  of  the 
Israelitish  Nation,"  1854].  It  begins  where  the  first  [pubUca- 
tion]  closes"  {Preface). — See  No.  2. 


Isaac  Mayer  Wise  405 

21.  Judaism  and    Christianity,   their    Agreements  and    Dis- 

agreements. A  series  of  Friday  evening  lectures, 
delivered  at  the  Plum  Street  Temple,  Cincinnati,  Ohio^ 
Cincinnati:  Block  &  Co.,  1883.     123  (i)  p.,  i  1.     8°. 

22.  Moses,  the  Man  and  Statesman.     A  lecture  .  .  .     Cincin- 

nati: Block  &  Co.,  [1883].     28  p.     8°. 

Reprinted  in:  Selected  Writings  (1900),  p.  153-178. 


23.       An  essay  on  the  temperance  question.     [Cincinnati,  188-?] 
8  p.    8° 


50 


Read  before  the  Friends  of  Inquiry  in  Cincinnati. 

24.  A  Defence  of  Judaism  versus  Proselytizing  Christianity. 

Cincinnati:  American  Israelite,  1889.     129  p.     8°. 

25.  Pronaos    to    Holy    Writ    establishing,    on    documentary 

evidence,  the  authorship,  date,  form,  and  contents  of 
each  of  its  books  and  the  authenticity  of  the  Pentateuch. 
Cincinnati:  R.  Clarke  df  Co.,  1891.     193  p.     8°. 

Review  of :  Abrahams,  Israel.     The  "  Pronaos  "  of  Wise  {Jewish 
World  [London].     1914.     May  6,  p.  24-25). 

26.  The  History  of  the  K.  K.  Bene  Yeshurun,  of  Cincinnati, 

Ohio,  from  the  date  of  its  organization.  Published  in 
commemoration  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  its 
incorporation,  by  a  committee  of  the  board  of  trustees, 
Cincinnati,  February  28,  1892.  [By  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 
and  Max  B.  May.]  [Cincittnati:]  Block  Printing  Co. 
[1892].    47  1.,  4  pL,  I  port.     Sq.  8°. 

27.  An  Introduction  to  the  Theology  of  Judaism,  delivered 

at  the  World's  Congress  of  ReUgions.  n.t.-p.  [Cincin- 
nati, 1894.]     22  p.     8°. 

Title  taken  from  first  page. — Reprinted  from:  Judaism  at  tke 
World's  Parliament  on  Religions.     Cincinnati,  1894. 

28.  New    edition    of    the    Babylonian     Talmud.       English 

translation.  Original  text  edited,  formulated,  and 
punctuated  by  ^Michael  L.  Rodkinson.  Revised  and 
corrected  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Isaac  IM.  Wise.  v.  1-2: 
Tractat  Sabbath.  New  York:  New  Amsterdam  Book  Co. 
[cop.  1896].     f°. 


4o6        A  List  of  the  Writings  of 

29.  Selected   Writings.     With  a  biography    by    the   editors, 

David  Philipson  and  Louis  Grossmann.  Published 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Alumnal  Association  of  the 
Hebrew  Union  College.  Cincinnati:  R.  Clarke  Co., 
1900.     vi.,  419  p.,  2  pi.,  3  port.     8°. 

30.  Reminiscences.     Translated  from  the  German  and  edited 

with  an  introduction  by  David  Philipson.     Cincinnati: 
L.  Wise  &  Co.,  1901.    367  p.,  I  pi.,  3  port.    8°. 

II.      ARTICLES  AND  CONTRIBUTIONS. 

r 

31.  The  Light.    A  sermon,  delivered  at  the  synagogue  Shaar 

Hashamayim,  in  New  York,  March  3,  5609.  (Occident. 
Philadelphia  [1849-50].     8°.     v.  7,  p.  12-25.) 

32.  Future  Reward  and  Punishment.     {Same.     p.  86-89.) 

33.  The  Messiah.     {Same.     p.  181-192,  229-244.) 

Pt.  I.:  Introduction,  [and:]  The  Mission  of  the  People  of 
Israel.  A  sermon,  delivered  at  Albany,  Jan.  30,  5609. — Pt.  II.: 
Development  and  Opposition.  A  sermon,  delivered  at  Albany, 
Feb.  12,  5609. — ".  .  .  the  intolerant  and  fanatical  lectures  of  a 
minister  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  this  city  gave  rise  to  this  course 
of  lectures.  They  were  delivered  before  a  numerous  audience  of 
Jews  and  Christians. " 

34.  The   Genealogy   of  Joseph,  after   Matthew.     {Same,    p. 

375-376.) 

35.  Moreh    Nebuchim    Liber    ductor    perplexorum.     {Same. 

V.  8  [1850-51],  p.  31-34.) 

'    A  description  of  the  contents  of  the  work  by  Maimonides. 

36.  The  Effect  of  Biblical  Theology.     A  sermon  delivered  at 

Charleston.     {Same.     p.  217-231.) 

37.  Letters  [3]  on   Christianity,  to  the  Rev.  M.  R.  Miller. 

{Same.    p.  232-237,  509-514,  594-599-) 

38.  Principles  of  Judaism.     No.  I.-V.     {Same.     p.  492-496, 

541-544;  v.  9  [1851-52],  p.  14-19,  187-195,  298-305.) 

In  form  of  letters  to  the  editor. 

39.  A  chapter  in  continuation  of  my  "History  of  the  Israelitish 

Nation."     Chapter  XIII,  (588  to  536  B.C.)     {Israelite 


Isaac  Mayer  Wise  407 

[afterwards,  American  Israelite].  Cincinnati,  1855-56. 
f°.     V.  2,  p.  225-226.)     See  No.  2. 

40.  Erklarung.     [Aufruf  an   die   Rabbinen,   Redacteure  und 

Herausgeber  judischer  Zeitschriften  in  Europa  im 
Namen  der  Humanitat  und  speciell  im  Namen  eines 
betrogenen  Weibes,  Harriet  Silbermann  aus  Chicago.] 
{Mdische  Zeitschrift  Jilr  Wissenschaft  und  Leben.  Bres- 
lau,  1862.     8°.     Jahrg.  i,  p.  163-164.) 

41.  The  Law.     {Hebrew  Review.     Cincinnati  [iS>^o\.     8°.    v.  i, 

p.  12-31.) 

Discussion  of  the  essay,  the  argument  of  which  was  orally 
delivered  by  the  author  at  the  conference  of  the  Rabbinical 
Literary  Association  July  14,  1880,  on  p.  74-79.— Reprinted  in: 
Selected  Writings  (1900),  p.  125-152. 

42.  Rosh  Hashanah.    [Sermon.]    {In:  American  Jewish  Pulpit. 

Cincinnati,  1881.     8°.     p.  127-137.) 

43.  Men    More    Instructive    than    Words.     (Sketch    of    a 

Hanukah  sermon.)     {Same.     p.  185-189.) 

44.  Hebrew  Monotheism.     A  dedication  sermon.     {Same.     p. 

199-208.) 

45.  The  Main  Lesson  of  Israel's  Sanctuary.    [Sermon.]    {Same. 

p.  209-218.) 

46.  The  Fourth  of  July.     [Sermon.]     {Same.     p.  219-226.) 

47.  The  Word  of  God.     A  Sabbath  nahamoo  sermon.     {Same. 

p.  227-234.) 

48.  The  Massorah  and  the  Massoretic  Text.     {Hebrew  Review. 

Cincinnati,  1881-82.     8°.     v.  2,  p.  107-117.) 

Reads:  "To  be  continued";  no  more  appeared. 

49.  Reminiscences  [of  Max  Lilienthal].     {Same.     p.  184-190.) 
Anonymously. 

50.  A  Sketch  of  Judaism  in  America.     {American  Jews'  An- 

nual.    Cincinnati,  1884.     8°.     p.  37-55.) 

51.  American  Judaism.     A  record  of  American  Judaism  from 

the  year  5645  a.m.     {Same.     1885,  4  1.) 

52.  Adolph    Huebsch,    Biographic.      (In:    Huebsch,    Adolph 

— A  memorial.     New  York,  1885.     8°.     p.  i.-xiii.) 


4c8    Writings  of  Isaac  Mayer  Wise 

53.  A  Record  of  American  Judaism  for  a.m.  5646.    (American 

Jews'  Annual.     Cincinnati,  1886.     8°.     p.  52-68.) 

54.  American  Judaism.     Its  record  from  New  Year  5646  A.M. 

to  December,  1887.     {Same.     1888,  p.  35-47.) 

55.  Presidential    Addresses    delivered    at   the    Central   Con- 

ference of  American  Rabbis.  Year  Books  C.  C.  A.  R., 
1891-1899.  (v.  I,  pp.  11-21;  V.  2,  pp.  6-11;  V.  3,  pp. 
I-io;  V.  4,  pp.  24-29;  pp.  67-76;  V.  5,  pp.  6-n;  v.  6, 
pp.  II-19;  V.  7,  pp.  vi.-xiii.;  v.  8,  pp.  8-16;  v.  9,  pp.  22- 
31.) 
Several  items  condensed  by  author  of  book. 

56.  The    Ethics   of  Judaism.     (In:    Judaism  at  the  World's 

Parliament  of  Religions.  Cincinnati,  iSg^^.  8°.  p.  99- 
106.) 

57.  Introduction  to  a  bibliography  of  the  Jewish  periodical 

press.     {Same.     p.  402-409.) 

See  also  note  of  No.  27. 

58.  Introduction.     [I.  Reading  of  Scriptures.     II.  Expound- 

ing Scriptures.  III.  The  IMaggid  and  Darshon.  IV. 
The  Retrogression.  V.  The  Sermon  in  America.]  (In: 
Central  Conference  of  American  Rabbis. — Sermons  by 
American  Rabbis.     Chicago,  1896.     8°.     p.  vii.-xiv.) 

59.  Freedom,    Justice,    and    Fidelity.     A    Passover    sermon. 

{Same.     p.  180-188.) 

60.  Genius  in  History  and  the  History  of  Genius.     A  lecture 

delivered  in  St.  Louis.     {Same.     p.  200-216.) 

61.  Zionism.     {[Hebrew]  [Union]  [College]  Journal.     Cincinnati, 

1899-1900.     8°.     V.  4,  p.  45-47.) 

62.  A  Jewish  State  Impossible.     An  article  in  the  New  York 

Times  on  Zionism.     Sept.  8,  1897. 


INDEX 


Aaron,    Israel,    i86,    199,   306 

Adler,  Henry,  277 

Adler,   Samuel,  38,  255,   274, 

287,  339 
Albany,     42,    44,    52,    57,    58 

passim 
American  Hebrew,  309 
American  Israelite,  see  Israelite 
American  Jewish  Prayer  Book, 

see  Minhag  America 
Anshe  Chesed  Congregation  of 

New  York,  174,  176-177 
Anshe    Emeth    Congregation, 

Albany,   58,    108,    no,    122, 

123,  124,  149 
Anspachcr,  A.,  373-379 
Asmonean,    The,     7,    86,    98, 

lor,  106,  128,  138,  148,  150 

passim 
Austria,  decrees  against  Jews, 

3-4 


B 


Bene  B'rith  Lodge,   146,  272, 

287,  361 
Bene  Israel  Congregation,  154, 

161,  185 
Bene  Yeshurun  Congregation, 

143,  144,  153-193  passim 
Berkowitz,    Henry,  299,    306, 

313 

Bemheim,  Mrs.  Henry,  147, 380 
Bernheim,  Isaac  W.,  300-301 
Beth  Din,  29,  62,  65 
Beth  El  Congregation,  Albany, 
58,  102-108,  124 


Beth     Elohim    Congregation, 

Charleston,  47,  96,  97,  326 
Bettmann,  Bemhard,  175,  185, 

298,  314 
Bible  in  Public  Schools,  246- 

249 
Bijur,  Martin,  221 
Bloch  &  Company,  333 
Bloch,  Edward,  38,  150 
Bloch,  Herman,  30,  38 
Bloch,  Joseph,  38 
Bloch,  Theresa,  38,  379,  380 
Bohemia,    condition    of   Jews, 

3-7;       education,        11-16; 

family  life,   16-20 
"Bohemia,   Recollections  of," 

7-21 
Bondi,  Jonah,  380 
Bondi,  Selma,  380,  381 
Bowles,  Samuel,  194 
Buchanan,  James,  222 


Cass,  Lewis,  217 

Central  Conference  of  Ameri- 
can Rabbis,  43,  186,  322- 
354;  issues  uniform  prayer- 
book,  335;  opposes  Zionism, 
352;  celebrates  eightieth 
anniversary  of  Dr.  Wise, 
353;  Memorial  Meeting, 
353;  resolutions  on  death  of 
Wise,  353-354 

Charleston,  S.  C.,  46,  96 

Chase,  Salmon  P.,  207,  212, 
261 

Choir,  introduction  of  mixed, 
63 


409 


410 


Index 


Cincinnati,  43,  44,  58,  146- 
147.   153  passim 

Cleveland  Rabbinical  Con- 
ference, 171,  323-330 

Cohen,  M.  J.,  221,  224 

College  for  Ministers,  135-138 

College  Hill,  319,  381 

Cooper,  J.  Fenimore,  40 

Cox,  James  D.,  186 

D 

Dana,  Chas.  A.,  194 
Dean,  Amos,  68,  109 
Deborah,   Die,    43,    217,    252- 

254.  357 
Dubois,  John  V.,  229 
Durmaul,  22-25 

E 

Eckman,  Rev.  Mr.,  120 
Einhorn,  David,  38,  174,  255, 
274,  287,  290-292,  315,  326, 

370-371 

Elder,  Henry,  377 
Ellinger,  M.,  305 
Eppinger,  Solomon,  298 
Evarts,  Wm.  M.,  227 
Ezekiel,  Sir  Moses,  186,  382 


Familiantenrecht,  6,  37 
Fay,  Theodore  S.,  222-225 
Fechheimer,  Marcus,  147,  162 
Felsenheld,  Rev.  Mr.,  62,64,80 
Felsenthal,  B.,  304,  313 
Fillmore,  Millard,  112 
Fischel,  Moses,  27 
Francis  H.  of  Austria,  5 
Frankel,  Zacharias,  8,  38 
Freiberg,  Julius,  186,  280 
French  National  Assembly,  i 
Freund,  Samuel,  20,  31 
Friday     Night     Services    and 

Lectures,  1 69-1 71 
Friedlander,  A.  J.,  173 


Garrison,  Wm.  Lloyd,  194,  395 
Geiger,  Abraham,  38,  39,  41 


Godkin,  E.  L.,  194 
Goodhart,  J.  H.,  144,  145 
Gootman,  Mr.,  216,  217 
Gottheil,  G.,  305,  313 
Graduates,      Hebrew      Union 

College,  312,  313 
Graetz,  H.,  i,  35 
Grafenried,  30,  38,  379 
Grant  Order,  No.  11,  2ii,  228- 

235 
Grant,  U.  S.,  211,  228-235 
Greeley,  Horace,  42,  142,  194, 

237 
Groesbeck,  Wm.  S.,  169 
Grossmann,    Louis,    26,    188, 

299,  313,  393 
Gutheim,  James  K.,  155,  156, 

313 

H 

Har  Sinai  Congregation,  47, 
112,  326 

Hebrew  Union  College,  43, 
294-321;  opening  of  College, 
298;  first  faculty,  298;  first 
graduation  of  rabbis,  305 

Heller,  Max,  299,  313 

Henry,  H.  A.,  156 

Herzberg,  Philip,  221 

Hirsch,  Emil  G.,  304,  370 

Hirsch,  Samuel,  34,  174,  255, 
287,  290-292,  304,  313 

History  of  the  Israelitish  Na- 
tion, 138-143 

Holdheim,  Samuel,  38,  39 

Huebsch,  A.,  255,  277,  304 


Isaacs,  A.  S.,  304 
Isaacs,  S.  M.,  80 
Israelite,  The,  23,  33,  34,  42, 
43f  174,  178,  194-256  ^oiiJW 


Jacobs,  George,  304 
Jastrow,  M.,  287,  313 
Jenikau,  9,  28,  29 
Jerusalem,  Leopold,  29-30 
Jewish  immigration,  46,  47 
Jewish  Sisterhoods,  366 


Index 


411 


Jewish  Theological  Seminary 
of  New  York,  309-310 

Jewish  Times  of  New  York, 
169,  181,  275,  278 

Jews,  disabilities  of,  6;  condi- 
tion in  America,  59-62,  76; 
early  settlement  in  Cincin- 
nati, 153-155 

Joseph  II.  of  Austria,  3-7; 
Decree  of  Toleration,  4 

K 

Kafka,  Aaron,  37 

Kalisch  I.,  254,  324-325.  332 

Know-Nothing     party,     240- 

Kohler,    Kaufman,    304,    306, 

320-321,  371 
Kohler,  Max  J.,  244-245 
Kohlmeyer,  Rev,  Mr.,  62,  64, 

80 
Koref,  Moses,  28 
Kornfeld,  Aaron,  20,  28,  29 
Korsosky,  Caroline,  23 
Kossuth,  Louis,  126 
Krauskopf,  Joseph,   186,  299, 

306,  313.  319 


Landsberg,  Max,  352 
Lee,  Richard  Henry,  40 
Leeser,  Isaac,  66,  71,  72,  76, 

77,  81,  92,  93,  III,  136,  157, 

194,  244,  324 
Leopold,  Louis  F.,  221,  224 
Letters   of   I.    M.    Wise,    342, 

373-379,  385 
Levi,  Chas.  S.,  186,  188,  387 
Levy,  Lipman,  280 
Lewi,  Joseph,  89,  90 
Library  Hebrew  Union  College, 

301 
LiHenthal,  Max,  47,  48-52,  62- 

64,  80,  83,  92,  123,  145,  163, 

169,  208,  231,  254,  274,  277, 

298,  312,  324,  330-331,  377, 

389 
Lincoln,   Abraham,   212,   231, 

246 


Loth,  M.,  279 

Lyon,  Robert,  86,  194 

M 

McMicken,  Andrew,  294 
McMicken  College,  295 
Mack,  Henry,  157,  172 
Mack,  M.  J.,  185,  360 
Mann,  Dudley,  216 
Mannheimer,  Isaac  Noah,  31 
Marcy,  Wm.  L.,  216 
Maria  Theresa,  3-4 
May,  Mrs.  Albert  J.,  381 
May,  Emily,  380 
May,  Max  B.,  385 
Mayer,  M.,  304 
Memorial  Service,  165 
Mendelssohn,  Moses,  i,  14 
Mendes,  F.  De  Sola,  304 
Mendes,  H.  Pereira,  347 
Merzbacher,  Leo,  47,  51,  80, 

265,  324-325 
Messenger  Jewish,  182 
Mielziner,    Moses,    301,    317- 

319,  352 
Miller,  M.  R.,  72 
Milwaukee  Meeting  C.  C.  A. 

R-,  343 
Minhag  America,  58,  62,  65, 

66,  174,  325,  388 
Minor  vs.  Board  of  Education, 

249  note 
Mohr,  Aaron,  378 
Molony,  Helen  Wise,  380 
Montreal  Meeting  C.  C.  A.  R., 

343 
Morais,  S.,  287,  302,  304 

Morris,  J.  N.,  233 

Mortara  case,  271,  note 

Moses,  A.,  304 

N 

New  Haven,  51-52 
New  Haven  Palladium,  52 
New  York,  42,  45  passim 
New  York  Board  of  Delegates, 

271 
New  York  Times,  284-286 


412 


Index 


o 


Occident,   the,   65,  71,   72,    77, 
78,  80,  81,    1 13-120  passim 
Ochs,  Mrs.  Adolph  S.,  380,  383 
Oko,  A.  S.,  389 

Origin  of  Christianity,  130,  390 
Ottenheimer,  Jacob,  173 


Padua,  22-23 

Pendleton,  Geo.  H.,  212,  232 

Personal      God      controversy, 

278-279 
Philadelphia     Conference     of 

Rabbis,  333 
Philippson,  Ludwig,  38,  39,  42 
Philipson,  David,  26,  185,  252- 

254,  299,  306,  393 
Pittsburgh      Conference       of 

Rabbis,  336 
Plum    St.    Temple,    see    Bene 

Yeshurun 
Posnanski,  Gustav,  47,  96,  97 
Prague,  9,  26,  28,  29 
Pronaos  to  Holy  Writ,  315 
Purcell,  John  B.,  377 

R 

Rabbinical  Conferences,  in  Ger- 
many, 38;  in  America,  321, 
354;  Cleveland,  323-330; 
Philadelphia,  333;  Cincin- 
nati, 336;  Pittsburgh,  336; 
Central  Conference  of  Amer- 
ican Rabbis,  336-354 

Radnitz,  32,  39,  41 

Raphall,  M.  J.,  92,  93,  97,  loi, 
244 

Rappaport,  Solomon  Judah, 
20,  30,  31,  32,  34 

Reminiscences  of  I.  M.  Wise, 
35,  45,  49,  54.  58,  67,  252- 
254  passim 

Rice,  A.,  loi 

Riesser,  Gabriel,  34,  35,  36 

Rosenau,  Wm.,  313 

Rosenfeld,  A.,  156,  157,  162 

Rosenstraus,  H.,  227 


Rosen wald,  Julius,  300 
Rothenhcim,    Rev.    Mr.,    254, 

325,  332 
Russia    and    the    Jews,   226- 
227 


Sachs,  Michael,  34,  42 
Samfield,  Max,  304,  352 
Schiff,  Jacob  H.,  300 
Schmidt,  Dr.,  197 
Seward,  Wm.  H.,  42,  95,  142 
Silverman,  Joseph,  299,  313 
Sonnenschein,  S.  H,,  254,  298, 

304 
Sopher,  Moses,  31 
Spanier,   Louis,   99,    lOl,    102, 

104,  106,  107 
Stein,  Leopold,  38,  39,  42,  159 
Steingrub,  23 
Stix,  Wm.,  342 
Stolz,  Joseph,  299,  313,  387 
Switzerland  and  the  Jews,  127, 

213-226 
Szold,  B.,  304,  313 


Taft,  Wm.  H.,  227 

Talmud     Yelodim     Institute, 

144,  146,  157,  172,  186,  259 

passim 
Taylor,  Zachary,  95 
Temple  Congregation,  168 
Temple  Emanuel,  47,  51,  326 
Temple  Emanuel  Theological 

Association,  272 
Teweless,  Rabbi,  31 
Thanksgiving     proclamations, 

criticisms  of,  206-209 


U 


Union    of    American    Hebrew 

Congregations,    43,  257-293 

Union   of    Israelites,   call  for, 

74-83 
Union  Prayer  Book,  335 
University  of  Cincinnati,  294, 

390 


Index 


413 


Vickers,  Thos.  F.,  377 
Voorsanger,  Jacob,  374 

W 

Walter,  J.  D,,  50 
Washington,  93,  95,  112 
Wassersuppen,  30 
Watterson,  Henry,  194 
Webster,  Daniel,  95,  112 
Werthheimstein,  Herr  von,  31 
Wilson,  Henry,  212,  238-239 
Wise  Center,  173 
Wise,  Elsie  C,  381 
Wise,  Emily,  38 
Wise,  Harry,  380 
Wise,  Helen,  380 
Wise,  Iphigene  M.,  380 
Wise,   Isaac  M.,   recollections 
of  Bohemia,  7-21;  ancestry, 
22-23;    description    of     his 
mother,  24;  birth,  24;  educa- 
tion, 25-30;  becomes  a  tutor, 
29,  30;  becomes  a  teacher, 
30;    receives    rabbinical    de- 
gree, 31;  rabbi    at  Radnitz, 
32;    inaugural    sermon,    32, 
33,  40;  early  influences,  33- 
36,     40-41;     marriage,     37; 
emigrates   to   America,   40- 
43;  arrival  in  New  York,  42 ; 
opens  a  school,  46;  dedicates 
New  Haven  synagogue,  52; 
changes    spelling    of    name, 
52;    at     Syracuse,      53-54; 
elected     rabbi     at     Albany, 
54-57 ;  description  of  sermon, 
54-56;  beginnings  of  reform, 
62-64;    organizes    a    mixed 
choir,  63;  prepares  new  rit- 
ual,64;  controversy  with  Lee- 
ser,  67;  studies  English,  67; 
opposes    proselytizing    mis- 
sionaries,  68-72;   writes   for 
the  Occident,  72;    issues  call 
for  Union  of  Israelites,  74- 
83 ;  influenced  by  revolutions 
of  1848,  74-76;  re-elected  at 
Albany,  84;  studies  law,  85; 


organize*  German  Literary 
Society,  85;  illness,  88-89; 
dissension  in  congregation, 
90;  trip  South,  90-93;  visitj 
Washington,  93-95;  attends 
Senate  debates  on  1850 
Compromise,  93-95;  invited 
to  Charleston,  S.  C,  96; 
preaches  there,  97;  denies 
belief  in  Personal  Messiah 
and  bodily  resurrection,  97; 
elected  rabbi  at  Charleston 
and  resigns  at  Albany,  98; 
declines  Charleston  pulpit, 
99;  re-elected  at  Albany,  99; 
answers  attacks  in  the  As- 
monean,  loo-ioi;  dissen- 
sions in  Albany  congrega- 
tion, 102;  charges  preferred 
against  him,  102-105;  public 
disturbance  in  congregation, 
105-106;  leaves  Beth  El 
congregation  and  becomes 
rabbi  of  new  congregation 
Anshe  Emeth,  108-109;  first 
trip  in  interest  of  new  con- 
gregation, 111-112;  Leeser's 
opinion  of  his  oratory,  1 1 1 ; 
writes  important  articles  for 
the  Occident,  1 13-120;  severs 
his  connection  with  the 
Occident,  120;  officiates  as 
Chaplain  of  New  York 
Senate,  120;  his  prayer  in 
N.  Y.  Senate,  120-12 i; 
introduces  family  pews,  122; 
also  confirmation  of  boys 
and  girls,  123;  attends  dedi- 
cation of  United  Albany 
Congregations,  124;  Secre- 
tary of  Albany  Kossuth 
Society,  126;  protests  against 
Switzerland's  treatment  of 
Jews,  127;  becomes  editor 
of  the  Asmonean,  128;  con- 
tributions to  this  paper, 
129-138;  publishes  History 
of  Israelitish  Nation,  138- 
143;  unfavourable  criticism 
of  book,  143;  elected  rabbi 
Bene  Yeshurun,  Cincinnati, 


414 


Index 


Wise,  Isaac  M. — Continued 
144-145;  resigns  at  Albany, 
146;  visits  Cincinnati,  146- 
147;  farewell  sermon  in 
Albany,  149;  arrival  in  Cin- 
cinnati, 151 ;  reforms  in  Bene 
Yeshurun,  Cincinnati,  160; 
organizes  choir,  1 60 ;  officiates 
in  Bene  Israel,  161;  elected 
rabbi  of  Bene  Israel,  161; 
offered  position  at  Louis- 
ville, 164;  prepares  second 
part  of  ritual,  164;  declines 
to  join  movement  for  new 
Temple  congregation,  168; 
introduces  Friday  night  ser- 
vices, 169-170;  organizes 
Zion  College,  171;  elected 
rabbi  Anshe  Chesed,  New 
York,  174;  resigns  at  Cin- 
cinnati, 174;  congregation 
refuses  to  accept  resignation, 
174-177;  silver  wedding, 
178;  nominated  for  State 
Senator,  177,  note;  celebra- 
tion of  twenty-fifth  anni- 
versary as  rabbi  at  Cincin- 
nati, 178-185;  seventieth 
birthday  celebration,  185; 
eightieth  birthday  celebra- 
tion, 186;  last  sermon,  188; 
characteristics  in  pulpit,  189, 
190;  his  definition  of  a 
rabbi,  190-191;  changes  in 
Bene  Yeshurun,  192-193; 
founds  the  Israelite,  195; 
story  of  founding,  195-205; 
prospectus,  198-200;  pro- 
tests against  Christianizing 
the  government,  206-209; 
protests  against  Switzerland, 
213-222;  elected  Chairman 
of  Baltimore  Protest  Meet- 
ing, 221;  visits  Washington, 
221;  criticizes  Russia,  226- 
227;  protests  against  Grant 
Order  No.  11,  228-235; 
criticizes  Senator  Wilson  of 
Massachusetts,  238-239;  to 
Know-Nothingism,  239-243; 
opposed     to    Jewish     vote, 


240;  his  political  views,  243; 
his  attitude  during  the  war, 
243-246;  eulogy  on  Lincoln, 
246;  opposes  reading  of 
Bible  in  Cincinnati  public 
schools,  246-249;  his  travels 
in  behalf  of  Judaism,  251; 
his  editorial  work,  250-252; 
founds  Die  Deborah,  a  Ger- 
man weekly,  252;  Reminis- 
cences of  Wise,  252-254; 
importance  of  Israelite  and 
Deborah,  254-256;  organizes 
Union  of  American  Hebrew 
Congregations,  257-293; 

gives  reasons  for  previous 
failures  of  union,  281-284; 
travels  in  behalf  of  union 
and  college,  287-290;  es- 
tablishment of  Hebrew 
Union  College  at  Cincinnati, 
295;  elected  its  first  Presi- 
dent, 295;  his  views  on 
importance  of  the  position, 
295-297;  travels  in  interest 
of  the  college,  303 ;  appoints 
a  Board  of  Examiners,  303- 
304;  attends  Pittsburgh  Con- 
ference of  Rabbis,  306-309; 
offers  to  retire  as  President 
of  the  college,  310-31 1; 
serves  gratuitously  as  Presi- 
dent and  Professor,  311;  his 
relation  to  the  students,  312; 
last  official  report,  314; 
addresses  to  students,  315- 
317;  comments  on  Cleveland 
Conference,  326-330;  _  pre- 
pares an  American  ritual, 
330-335;  attends  rabbinical 
conferences,  335-336;  Presi- 
dent Pittsburgh  Conference, 
336;  predicts  a  permanent 
conference,  336;  suggests  or- 
ganization of  new  conference, 
337-338;  elected  President 
Central  Conference,  339 ; 
represents  conference  at 
World's  Parliament  of  Re- 
ligions, 341;  letter  on  same, 
342-343;    opposes    Zionism, 


Index 


415 


Wise,  Isaac  M. — Continued 
343-353;  refuses  to  advocate 
Jews  separately  celebrating 
Columbus  Day,  347-348 ; 
personal  activities,  355-370; 
no  disciplinarian,  356;  nurn- 
ber  of  congregations  dedi- 
cated, 357-358;  suggests 
establishment  of  Jewish 
Orphan  Asylum,      358 ; 

charter  member  of  be- 
nevolent organizations,  360; 
opinion  of  secret  orders, 
36 1 ;  opposed  to  sumptuary 
legislation,  362;  views  on 
liquor  question,  362-363 ; 
on  woman  in  synagogue, 
363-366;  on  organized 
charity,  366 ;  charitable,  366 ; 
impractical  in  money  mat- 
ters, 367;  treatment  of  op- 
ponents, 369-371;  letters, 
373-377;  views  on  Mosaic 
dietary  laws,  378;  family 
life,  379-380;  marriages  and 
children,  379-380;  his  coun- 
try life,  382-383;  method  of 
work,  383;  personal  charac- 
teristics, 384-385 ;  member 
of  Teachers  Examiners 
Board  and  University  Board, 
389-390;    his    last    sermon, 


391;  death  and  funeral,  391- 

395;  monument,  393 
Wise,  Isaac  M.,  Jr.,  381 
Wise,    Isaac   M.,   Endowment 

Fund,  319 
Wise,  Isaiah,  22-25 
Wise,  Isidor,  380 
Wise,  Jonah  B.,  300,  381 
Wise,  Julius,  144,  380 
Wise,  Laura,  89 
Wise,  Leo,  son  I.  M.  Wise,  90, 

227,  380 
Wise,  Leo,  father  I.  M.  Wise, 

23,24 
Wise,    Leo,    great-grandfather 

I.  M.  Wise,  22-24 
Wise,  Regina,  23,  381 
Wise,  Samuel,  23 
Wolfenstein,  S.,  302,  304 
Women   and    the   synagogue, 

149,  363 
Wood,  Bradford  H.,  67,  109 
Works  of  Isaac  M.  Wise,  see 

Appendix 


Zepin,  George,  363 

Zion  College,  171,  260-261,267 

Zionism,  343-353 

Zimdorf,  S.,  304 


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